Trial in Innsbruck

Because of noise pollution: Tyrolean threatened to go on a rampage

The pensioner confessed before Judge Thomas Wallnöfer.

(Bild: Stegmayr Markus, Krone KREATIV)

Because the noise nuisance was too much for him, a 60-year-old Tyrolean man called the police twice and announced that he would shoot several bar patrons with his Kalashnikov. Now the pensioner was in court and showed remorse.

"I simply had a bad day and therefore drank all the time", the accused justified himself at the Innsbruck regional court. He was aware that he had a "problem with alcohol", but there had always been periods of abstinence, he explained.

Around 2.2 per mille alcohol in his blood
However, August 2, 2023 was apparently not such a day of abstinence. The man picked up his cell phone at night and called the Tyrolean police and a Viennese police station via the regional control center. If something wasn't finally done about the noise in and especially in front of a neighboring restaurant, it would "crash", threatened the man with around 2.2 per mille alcohol in his blood. And the pensioner announced that he would cause "10 to 20 deaths" with a Kalashnikov.

Theaccused was remorseful
The Tyrolean confessed at the trial. "But I don't remember exactly what I said, I was simply very drunk", he emphasized. It could have been something about "shooting people", he admitted when asked by the judge.

Verdict not yet final
The judge ultimately decided on a fairly lenient sentence. He imposed a fine of 1440 euros, half of which was conditional. In addition, the 60-year-old was committed to a rehab center. However, as the defendant is already undergoing outpatient treatment and has been "sober" since the incident, he was also given a conditional three-year probationary period. The verdict is not final.