Woman seriously injured

Stabbing in law firm: 53-year-old arrested

A punch is said to have been thrown in the courtyard in front of the office before the suspect reached for the knife.(Bild: Stefan Steinkogler)

A 53-year-old suspect allegedly stabbed a woman with dozens of knives in front of a law firm in Vienna on Monday. The victim survived the attack seriously injured, the suspected perpetrator fled. He has since been apprehended.

At around 3.15 p.m., the 53-year-old suspect allegedly attacked the 56-year-old assistant to his lawyer with dozens of stab wounds. He seriously injured the woman. The man then fled the scene.

56-year-old survived seriously injured
The Vienna Professional Rescue Service provided the victim with emergency medical treatment at the scene before she was taken to hospital. The 56-year-old woman is now in a stable condition.

The front door of the law firm(Bild: Sandra Ramsauer)

Punch in the courtyard
As the police announced on Tuesday morning, there had already been an altercation between the alleged perpetrator and the victim before the knife attack. According to police spokesman David Pawlik, there had already been an initial encounter in the entrance area of the law firm in the inner courtyard, the suspected perpetrator had hit the woman with his fist before reaching for the knife in the stairwell in front of the law firm and stabbing her.

Seized at the suspect's apartment
The suspect then fled. A manhunt was immediately launched for the 53-year-old. In the early evening, this was already crowned with success. At around 9.15 p.m., members of the riot squad were able to arrest the suspected offender as he tried to go to his home. He did not put up any resistance.

"He will be questioned in the next few hours," says Pawlik. The investigation is still ongoing.