Police officers walk at the scene after gunshots were heard, in Vienna, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. Austrian police say several people have been injured and officers are out in force following gunfire in the capital Vienna. Initial reports that a synagogue was the target of an attack couldn't immediately be confirmed. Austrian news agency APA quoted the country's Interior Ministry saying one attacker has been killed and another could be on the run.(Photo/Ronald Zak)
vienna shooting terrorist attack
Police officers walk at the scene after gunshots were heard, in Vienna, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (Photo/Ronald Zak)

By Philippe Jenne and Vince Jordans, AP

Gunmen opened fire on people enjoying a last night out at Vienna’s cafes and restaurants before a coronavirus lockdown Monday in what authorities said was a terrorist attack that left at least two dead — including one of the assailants — and 15 wounded.

“We are victims of a despicable terror attack in the federal capital that is still ongoing,” Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said hours after the gunfire erupted.

“One of the perpetrators was neutralized, but several perpetrators appear to still be on the loose,” he said. “They seem to also, as far as we know, be very well equipped, with automatic weapons. So they were very well prepared.”

vienna shooting terrorist attack
Police officers stay in position at stairs named ‘Theodor Herzl Stiege’ near a synagogue after gunshots were heard, in Vienna, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (Photo/Ronald Zak)

Police said that several shots were fired shortly after 8 p.m. (1900 GMT) on a lively street in the city center and that there were six shooting locations. Unverified footage on social media showed gunmen walking through the streets, apparently shooting at people at random, wounding several.

The motive was under investigation, but Kurz said the possibility it was an anti-Semitic attack cannot be ruled out, given that the shooting began outside Vienna’s main synagogue. It was closed at the time.

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said the army had been asked to guard key locations in the city as hundreds of heavily armed police hunted for the gunmen. He urged people in Vienna to stay indoors and avoid the city center and encouraged parents not to send their children to school on Tuesday.

Kurz praised police for killing one of the attackers and vowed: “We will not never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and will fight these attacks with all means.”

Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig said 15 people were hospitalized, seven with serious injuries.

vienna shooting terrorist attack
Police officers check a person after gunshots were heard, in Vienna, Monday, Nov. 2, 2020. (Photo/Ronald Zak)

Oskar Deutsch, the head of the Jewish community in Vienna, said it was not clear whether the main synagogue had been targeted.

Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister said he saw at least one person shoot at people sitting outside at bars in the street below his window.

“They were shooting at least 100 rounds just outside our building,” Hofmeister said.

“All these bars have tables outside. This evening is the last evening before the lockdown,” he added. “As of midnight, all bars and restaurants will be closed in Austria for the next month, and a lot of people probably wanted to use that evening to be able to go out.”

President Donald Trump tweeted American support for Austria in fighting terrorism. “Our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe. These evil attacks against innocent people must stop,” he wrote.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted that the French “share the shock and grief of the Austrian people hit by an attack tonight.”

“After France, this is a friendly country that has been attacked. This is our Europe. … We will not give in,” he wrote.

France has endured three attacks blamed on Muslim extremists in recent weeks: the wounding of two people outside satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo’s old headquarters; the beheading of a schoolteacher who showed students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad; and a deadly knife attack Thursday in a church in the Mediterranean city of Nice.

All of the attacks were strongly condemned at the time by Austria’s chancellor.

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40 COMMENTS

  2. A bunch of terrorists armed with fully automatic weapons the civil authorities were unable to prevent them from acquiring yet the peaceful citizens of Austria are prohibited from carrying even handguns to defend themselves. Anti-gunners think this is what a “civilized” country should be and want the same for America. If the Democrats win today, which is likely because Trump has wasted his four years and the Republican Party hasn’t had the courage to make him at least act like a President, that’s our future.

    • Judges
      Growth stimulating tax cuts
      Border control
      Diplomatic success in the Middle East
      Energy independence
      No new wars.

      Seems like a waste to me.

      • Joe is literally opposed to that entire list. Plus, he’s going to give 20+ million illegals amnesty, and open the borders so we’ll be giving amnesty to 20 million more in a few years. It’s okay as long as they tend to vote democrat. It’s all about cheap labor and political power, and it’s all done under the guise of compassion. Every single decision should be weighed against the interest of the American people, not a political party.

      • Best President in my lifetime. Don’t forget peace in the Middle east(for now). And Trump didn’t kiss any ass(unlike Barry Soetoro & W). We won’t riot,loot and murder if DJT loses legitimately…no doubt this attack is Jihad.

        • “Don’t forget peace in the Middle east(for now)”

          Joe listens to the experts. Mattis won’t have to take his ball and go home. If the generals say war, then we go to war. They’re the experts, after all. Who’s Joe to argue? Then it’s back to empowering Iran.

    • Before Covid struck:
      Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
      More Americans employed than ever before in our nation’s history.
      More than 400,000 manufacturing jobs created.
      New unemployment claims hit a 49 year low.
      Median household income hit the highest levels ever recorded.
      African-American unemployment at the lowest rate ever recorded.
      Hispanic-American unemployment also at lowest rate ever recorded.
      Women’s unemployment reached lowest rate in 65 years.
      Youth unemployment lowest in nearly 50 years.
      Lowest unemployment ever for Americans without a high school diploma.
      Veterans unemployment lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
      3.9 million Americans lifted off food stamps since his election.
      95% of US manufacturers optimistic about the future – the highest ever.
      Retail sales surged.
      Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. Over $300 billion poured back into the US in the first quarter alone.
      Small businesses have the lowest tax rate in 80 years.
      Obamacare individual mandate penalty gone.
      FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before… Many drug companies are freezing or reversing price increases.
      Medicare program reformed to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugs- saving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars per year.
      Secured 6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid crisis.
      Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same day urgent primary and mental health care.
      Increased coal exports by 60% US oil production reached an all-time high.
      US is a natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
      NATO allies are spending $69 billion on defense since 2016. Money we don’t have to spend.
      Withdrew from one-sided Iran Deal.
      Concluded a historic trade deal with Mexico to replace NAFTA. Negotiations with Canada underway.
      Reached a breakthrough agreement with the European Union to increase US exports.
      Imposed tariffs on China in response to China’s forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
      Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
      And many many more things.

      Yeah Kendahl, I guess Trump hasn’t done anything! 🥴

    • President Trump’s accomplishments in the Middle East peace process led to his nomination for the Peace Prize…as opposed to Barry who was blessed with the Prize based solely on what he “shoulda, coulda, woulda” accomplished if he had only tried.

      Obama was / is a Master B.S. artist…and who was his V.P….yeah, the senile, old, white-guy who has 50 years of non-accomplishment as a career politician…and who, mistakenly, thinks he is qualified to be President.

    • kendahl…What do you mean the POTUS has wasted the last 4 years? In case you missed it the POTUS has been under constant attack from the democRat Party and their media cohorts for the past 4 years. Given the same demoCrap no other POTUS could have accomplished in 4 years what DJT has done. Cease putting a sht grin on a democRat’s face with your demeaning remarks and anticipation of a biden win and show some gratitude otherwise you are the problem.

      TRUMP/PENCE 2020.

    • Snowflake melting down before the election debacle. Who can beat 47 years of Biden’s many, many accomplishments. How can anyone hope to match his smigdenless record of integrity, honesty, and courage? Best of all is Biden’s magic wand which gave us those 8 miracle years of wealth and prosperity.

      Mom called to tell me the old home town was missing the village idiot. Had to call her back to say we found him.

  3. The coming world under Harris/Biden if they win and control Congress.

    POTG may be able to “neutralize” terrorists here for a while but is that the way anyone really wants to live?

    Go vote, convince the bedwetters in your family to vote and drag anyone along with you to the polls. A vote for anyone but Trump for POTUS and against a republicrat Senate is a vote to turn the US into Europe. Argue away but you’re delusional.

  5. As usual, multicultural diversity and open borders seems to be working out well for the EU’s less fortunate.
    Can’t wait for the same to happen in the good old USA …. oh wait.

    Went to a MARSOC run for vets in Seaside, NJ a few years back. We had a great turn out and it caused the event to be delayed. Halfway through the delayed one mile run I watched a couple trashcans detonate a hundred yards ahead of me before turning onto the wooden boardwalk. I was done early.
    This is what multicultural diversity and open borders gets you. A few more here, a few more there, and before you know it people like Ilhan Omar are allowed to decide what’s good for everyone else.

    Never give up your guns. Ever.
    This is the way.

  6. In previous elections the rhetoric was all about the Economy…I notice this time around that the Democrats did not mention the Economy…because President Trump’s economic figures are incontestable, hard facts.

    All the Dems had this cycle was virtue-signalling, fomenting racial anger, temper tantrums (rioting, arson) and feelz.

    • Glock!

      Perfection!!

      Based out of Austria and their own citizens can’t use one for their own protection…nothing says Freedom quite like an authoritarian European Union.

      …and to repudiate the usual trolls who have repeatedly commented here about how only a few armed Police are necessary in E.U. countries…”as hundreds of heavily armed police hunted for the gunmen. “…darn it, there goes that phony narrative.

    • The only ” Shame” is they brought this on themselves. This is a lesson in what happens when a “People” defer their Protection/Preservation in favor of the Mantra of SJW and the Nanny State. We are but a few hours/days from becoming not only Europe, but a nation much the same as France. The Ideology We see happening in Europe is exactly what the Socialist Liberal Democrats dream of for Our Nation. Another member of “INGSOC” with the Socialist Liberal Leadership and it’s Bureaucracy using BLM, ANTIFA and the SJW as their Minions demanding that the People bend to their Will for the Greater Good of Society. For those who get the “1984” reference. That is because although Orwell wrote “1984” as a cautionary tale it became the “Playbook” of the Socialist liberal Hierarchy. Everything they have attempted and achieved in the last 60 years is a direct reflection on the words of Orwell. What happens over the next days, weeks and months will determine the path Our Nation follows. The question is will “We The People” allow it to devolve into the Darkness that Orwell foretold or will that Darkness be destroyed Once and For All? Their can be No middle ground for as long as those who wish to enslave “We the People” are allowed to remain their Evil will live on as a Ideology for the future. In the end INGSOC was defeated by the weight of it’s own inability to stop Free Thought, but in the interim Millions of lives were destroyed and lost. Our Nation is at the precipice of such a time and choices will have to be made. Keep Your Powder Dry.

  8. As it turns out the Terrorist that was captured already had a conviction for terrorism. Sounds like Liberal revolving door Criminal Justice Reform in action.

  9. Y’know what Europe needs? A Muslim majority. There will still be attacks on non-Muslims, sure, but they will all be legal.

  10. Hundreds of shots fired with automatic weapons and only one innocent person has died? I’m sorry but that doesn’t really add up in my mind.

    • They could be wrong about automatic, because the media and politicians are gun-stupid (and they like it that way).

      Hundreds of rounds mostly not hitting anybody actually adds up. The cannon fodder that get sent out on suicide missions like this aren’t the brightest. If there’s any video of them shooting, I can guarantee you that you won’t see them actually using the sights. It’s 100% spray-and-pray.

      Come to think of it, that might be a hidden bonus of Europe being so anti-gun. Nobody knows anything about marksmanship, and with no effective way to practice, their homegrown terrorists have no skill at actually hitting the target.

      • To people who don’t know better, a rifle fired quickly between buildings can sound like a full auto or sound like a lot of rounds fired because of the echo.

        Most AKs used in Europe for crimes are full auto. They smuggle them from the battlefields. Explosives and machine guns can easily be brought into Europe. That’s why it’s much harder to be a cop in Europe, Africa and Asia than in the U.S. or Canada. American cops don’t have to worry about organized men with armor piercing full auto AKs and suicide vests,

  12. Austria/Vienna you better fix this. The Polish Winged Hussars will not save you this time.
    -Descendant of 4 Winged Hussars who fought at Vienna in 1683.

    • It looked to be one man with an AK-47 and a handgun. He ran around the neighborhood.

      People always say there was a thousand men that surrounded them. Happens all the time when ambushed in combat. People exaggerate the numbers of fighters, it turns out to be a few guys. In the civilian world, people think one guy is 3-5.

  14. Foreign or domestic doesn’t matter! Guns keep us safe! Exercise your 2nd amendment! You exercise your first don’t you?

Comments are closed.