Vienna terrorist attack: Death toll rises in Vienna, four dead

Details are emerging about the terror suspect who was shot and killed by police in Vienna as the death toll rises to four.

The terrorist who was shot and killed during an attack in the Austrian city of Vienna was an IS sympathiser, authorities say.

 

There are four people dead and more than a dozen are injured after a number of gunmen stormed the Austrian capital of Vienna in a suspected terror attack earlier today.

Vienna Police urged everyone to stay away from the city centre after confirming there were at  least 15 people injured in the shooting, which started just before 8pm local time.

“We are on site with all available forces. Please avoid all public squares in the city,” police said.

In an update, police confirmed "several perpetrators" with rifles were behind the attack, there were a total of six crime scenes and one attacker had been shot dead by anti-terror officers. Other attackers are believed to still be "on the run".

Austria’s interior minister Karl Nehammer has just held a press conference where he revealed more about the man police shot and killed.

“This is a radicalised person who felt close to IS,” Mr Nehammer said. 

“According to what we currently know there is at least one attacker who is still on the run."

Police are asking everyone in the city to keep their doors locked until they have accounted for all the attackers.

Still active: Stay at home! If you're on the Streets, take shelter! Keep away from public places, don't use public Transportation! #0211w

— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) November 2, 2020

In a previous update, published just before 3.30am local time (1.30pm Australian time), police said, "We'll keep up public safety with all forces available. Meanwhile our investigations regarding the assault will go on highest level. We'll keep you posted on confirmed news here on Twitter."

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz described the group of gunmen as "professionally trained" and "prepared".

Authorities have widened their search for the shooters still at large.

“We have brought several special forces units together that are now searching for the presumed terrorists," Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told ORF.

“I am therefore not limiting it to an area of Vienna because these are mobile perpetrators.”

There were hundreds of people out in Vienna, enjoying their final night of freedom before another coronavirus lockdown comes into effect.

All of those people remain in the bars, restaurants and other venues while police continue to search for the attackers.

Police search a person in Vienna following the shooting. Picture: Roland Schlager/AFP

Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig confirmed two civilians had died in the shooting.

A woman died early Tuesday morning after she sustained severe gunshot wounds. Fifteen people were in hospital with seven, including a police officer, in a serious condition.

In one video seen by news.com.au, a man dressed in white and armed with an assault rifle can be seen approaching a man, dressed in black, stuck on the street. 

Despite the man dressed in black attempting to shield his body in a window alcove, the armed man shoots him and runs off.

The shooter returns to the street a short time later and sees the man in black on the ground and fires another shot at him.

A number of police officers are then seen on CCTV approaching the man in black and rendering first aid. 

Austria has officially called the incident a terror attack.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a tweet that police were taking "decisive action against the perpetrators of this repulsive terrorist attack".

"I am glad that our police officers have already been able to eliminate a perpetrator. We will never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and will fight these attacks resolutely by all means," Mr Kurz said, in the translated tweet.

Mr Kurz said the military was protecting property across the city to allow police to "concentrate fully on the fight against terrorism".

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer also labelled the incident a terror attack.

“At the moment I can confirm we believe this is an apparent terror attack,” he told Austrian broadcaster ORF.

“We believe there are several perpetrators. Unfortunately there are also several injured, probably also dead.”

Armed police patrol near the opera in central Vienna. Picture: Joe Klamar/AFP

The first shots were fired just before 8pm local time with the police operation stretching more than three hours.

Gunshots were reported near Schwedenplatz, one of the main squares in the Austrian capital.

Local media is reporting explosives were involved in the attack.

Dozens of police were filmed running through the city in an attempt to find more active shooters with heavy gunfire heard.

In one video, police in protective gear can be seen rushing through local restaurants, as diners lie flat on the ground, in search of any potential shooters. 

Austria will go back into lockdown on Tuesday due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

Due to this, Vienna was full of people on Monday night, trying to enjoy their final night of freedom, when the shooting started.

Vienna's chief Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister saw some of the shooting from his building, with gunmen targeting people sitting outside. 

"They were shooting at least 100 rounds just outside our building," Mr Hofmeister told British radio station LBC.

"All these bars have tables outside. This evening is the last evening before the lockdown...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."

Scenes from the shooting in Vienna. pic.twitter.com/VJiy7pRIOw

— Prudent Investor (@prudentinvestor) November 2, 2020

Video footage taken by a Vienna local showed a pool of blood outside a cafe in the city's main Jewish centre.

Everyone has been ordered to stay inside, especially around the city's Jewish community after it was reported a synagogue, multiple restaurants and a Jewish community centre were targeted.

A man dressed in white, holding an assault rifle, was also filmed firing his gun towards someone. 

Video shows terrorist shooting pic.twitter.com/CRcm9Aehpw

— Baruch (@baruchb11) November 2, 2020

Oskar Deutsch, the head of the Jewish community in Vienna, said the synagogue was closed when the shooting began but shots were fired "in the immediate vicinity" around it.

Ambulances rushed to the city centre to ferry the shooting victims to hospital.

HAPPENING NOW - Terror attack in #Austria. Tens of emergency units have arrived in the city center of #Vienna. At least 7 dead, many more injured. One terrorist dead, one detained, multiple still at large.pic.twitter.com/1S5BWpplb3

— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv) November 2, 2020

In recent years Austria has been spared the sort of large-scale attacks seen in Paris, Berlin and London.

In August, authorities arrested a 31-year-old Syrian refugees suspected of trying to attack a Jewish community leader in the country’s second city Graz. The leader was unhurt.

Tensions in Europe have been high recently after the beheading of French teacher Samuel Paty, who showed a caricature of Mohammed to his class.

Three people were also killed in Nice, in the south of France, last week in a terrorist attack outside the city's Notre Dame Basilica. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison offered his condolences to Austria and said the nation stood against "acts of violence, terror and intimidation".

We pray for, and stand firm with, our Austrian friends against acts of violence, terror and intimidation, and all they seek to undermine.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) November 3, 2020

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted his support for Austria and said his nation "shared the shock and grief of the Austrian people".

"It is a friendly country that is under attack. This is our Europe. Our enemies need to know who they are dealing with. We won't give in to anything," Mr Macron said in the translated tweet.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Council President Charles Michel also offered their condolences.

I am deeply shocked by the terrible attacks in Vienna tonight. The UK’s thoughts are with the people of Austria - we stand united with you against terror.

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) November 2, 2020

Europe strongly condemns this cowardly act that violates life and our human values.

My thoughts are with the victims and the people of #Vienna in the wake of tonight’s horrific attack.

We stand with Austria @sebastiankurz

— Charles Michel (@eucopresident) November 2, 2020

And Germany’s foreign ministry tweeted that the reports from Austria were “horrifying and disturbing”.

“We can’t give in to hatred that is aimed at dividing our societies,” the ministry added.

Czech police said they were conducting checks on the border with Austria. “Police are carrying out random checks of vehicles and passengers on border crossings with Austria as a preventive measure in relation to the terror attack in Vienna,” Czech police tweeted.

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also “strongly condemned” the shootings. “There is no room for hatred and violence in our common European home,” he said on Twitter in Italian and German.