Consternation in Graz

Knife attack: terrorist attack cannot be ruled out

Monika Quas tends to her husband's grave near the crime scene.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

After the brutal knife attack on a 73-year-old woman at the Leonhard cemetery in Graz on Wednesday afternoon, the victim is still in intensive care. The perpetrator is still on the run. It is becoming increasingly likely that the Graz woman was a random victim. A local inspection between sniffer dogs and the noise of children.

"I usually come here every day around 4 pm to visit my husband's grave. I only made an exception yesterday, which is why I'm here now," says Monika Quas. The woman is one of the few visitors to Leonhard Cemetery in Graz on Thursday morning.

The sun is shining and cheerful voices can be heard from the adjacent kindergarten. Only the plainclothes and uniformed police officers searching grave after grave for clues with sniffer dogs indicate that something terrible has happened here recently.

Searching for clues Thursday morning at the Leonhard cemetery in Graz.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Police officers in plain clothes and uniform were on site.(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

What is known so far: "A 73-year-old woman from Graz was seriously injured by a stranger with a Stanley knife in the western part of the cemetery on Wednesday afternoon. She suffered multiple cuts to her face and neck," reports Heimo Kohlbacher from the Styrian Provincial Police Directorate.

Woman probably a random victim
Passers-by discovered the woman covered in blood and set the rescue chain in motion; they did not notice the perpetrator. "Unfortunately, we haven't found any other witnesses yet either," says Kohlbacher. "Our hope is that passers-by who noticed something suspicious will come forward." The crime must have happened shortly after 4 p.m., at a time when it was still light.

The motive is also still a mystery: "We think that the woman was a random victim and that the perpetrator may be mentally ill. We have investigated the victim's environment, but it is extremely unlikely that the perpetrator had a close relationship with the victim." Could it have been a terrorist attack? "That can't be ruled out at this stage either," says the officer.

"I will continue to come here"
Monika Quas, who cares for her deceased husband's grave in the immediate vicinity of the crime scene, does not want to miss her daily visit to the cemetery: "The woman was obviously in the wrong place at the wrong time - that is extremely tragic. I have more faith in God than fear, so I will continue to come here."