Armed Man Threatens Pedestrians in Vienna, Subdued by Taser
Vienna, Austria – A 48-year-old man sparked terror in central Vienna on Friday afternoon after threatening passersby with knives and making a stabbing motion toward a cyclist, reported by the Austrian News Agency. The suspect, described as emotionally disturbed and previously known to authorities, was subdued with a taser by members of the elite WEGA police unit near the MuseumsQuartier.
The incident began shortly after noon on Burgring, where witnesses reported the man yelling in German that he had “three knives” and acting aggressively. According to police, he threw one of the knives at a group of pedestrians—it landed about a meter away without causing injuries. Moments later, he brandished a second knife and lunged at a woman on a bicycle. She narrowly avoided harm.
Police received multiple emergency calls as the man moved toward Mariahilfer Street, continuing to shout and make stabbing gestures. Officers tracked him down near the MuseumsQuartier, where he refused commands to surrender. Instead, he pulled out a masonry trowel with a sharp edge, threatening officers and then pressing the blade to his own neck.
He was eventually subdued with a taser and taken into custody with minor injuries. A wrench and the trowel were recovered, though the knives were not found. Already under weapons and residency bans, the Slovak national now faces charges of multiple counts of attempted assault and criminal threats. The Vienna prosecutor has ordered his detention.
