Tried to Kill His Mother

Shots Fired in Upmarket Neighborhood: Two People Injured

Forensic investigators were on the scene for several hours.(Bild: Mathis Fotografie)

Around noon on Saturday, a large-scale police operation took place in Bregenz in response to a dangerous threat. Due to the dangerous situation on the scene, the Cobra SWAT team was called in. Shortly thereafter, several shots were fired.

The exact circumstances behind the large-scale operation in Bregenz’s upscale neighborhood remain unclear. As the “Krone” learned, a 24-year-old man armed with a knife threatened to kill his mother in an apartment building on Pfänderweg. She then called the police. Initially, a negotiation team attempted to defuse the situation through dialogue. However, due to the tense atmosphere and the suspect’s mental state—he also threatened the police officers—the Cobra Special Operations Unit was ultimately called in.

Shots Fired in Self-Defense
Then the situation escalated: No sooner had the elite unit arrived on the scene than the suspect attacked an officer with a knife, prompting several shots to be fired in self-defense.

According to law enforcement, both the suspect and an officer were injured. Both were taken to the hospital after receiving initial medical treatment. As the police have since confirmed, the officer sustained only minor injuries. The State Police Headquarters declined to comment on the attacker’s condition—according to information from the “Krone,” he is in critical condition. The police also did not disclose any details regarding the number of shots fired. Forensic investigators were on the scene for several hours. Further investigations will be handled by the Vienna Investigation and Complaints Office for Allegations of Police Misconduct. This is standard procedure whenever injuries are caused by police action. 

Residents Were Not Allowed to Leave Their Homes
During the operation, residents were instructed not to leave their homes for safety reasons. In addition, access roads in the Pfänderweg area were temporarily closed. The police emphasized that at no time was there any danger to uninvolved third parties.