The suspect was injured in the thigh area, arrested for the time being and taken to the university hospital. The operation is apparently in connection with an apartment fire immediately before the incident. Other people were not injured, but as a result of the fire, two residents had to be taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
The fire brigade first informed the police about the apartment fire in the Lehen district in the morning. At the same time, emergency calls were received by the police, after which a person ran out of the smoke-filled building with a knife, threatening residents and passers-by. The suspect – apparently a Somali living in the apartment building – then attacked one of the callers with a knife for no apparent reason, but did not injure him. The man then fled on foot.
When he was stopped shortly afterwards by a police patrol on the banks of the Glan, the suspect attacked the officers with a knife. According to previous knowledge, the police officers fired three shots to stop the attack. As a police spokesman told APA, a suspicion of terrorism can probably be ruled out, and there are currently many indications that the perpetrator is in a mental state of emergency. However, it is still too early to make binding statements. The Salzburg State Criminal Police Office is now investigating the use of firearms, the motive and the circumstances of the crime, in particular the cause of the fire and any other crimes committed by the perpetrator.
The apartment where the fire broke out is believed to have been completely destroyed in the fire. The fire was associated with heavy smoke. It was initially unclear whether the man set the fire himself. When the emergency services arrived, numerous residents were standing at the windows and calling for help. A total of 30 people were evacuated, some people were rescued from their homes with the turntable ladder. Two people were taken to the hospital and 27 others were taken to a nearby hotel. The residential building was cordoned off over a large area and is currently not habitable – also because, according to the fire brigade, the heating system broke.
Source: Nachrichten
