A tragic stabbing incident in Villach, southern Austria, on Saturday left a 14-year-old boy dead and four others injured. Authorities say the attacker, a 23-year-old Syrian national with legal residence in Austria, randomly assaulted passersby on the street.
Police are investigating the suspect’s background to determine a possible motive. The victims—all male—include two individuals with minor injuries and two in critical condition.
Governor Peter Kaiser expressed his condolences, stating, “This outrageous atrocity must be met with harsh consequences. I have always said with clarity and unambiguously: Those who live in Carinthia, in Austria, have to respect the law and adjust to our rules and values.”
Austria’s far-right leader Herbert Kickl took to social media, blaming immigration policies for rising crime. “I am angry, angry at those politicians who have allowed stabbings, rape, gang wars and other capital crimes to become the order of the day in Austria. This is a first-class failure of the system, for which a young man in Villach has now had to pay with his life,” Kickl stated.
Conservative leader Christian Stocker also weighed in, saying on X that the attacker “must be brought to justice and be punished with the full force of the law.” He called for further political measures to prevent similar tragedies.
Austria’s foreign ministry reports that nearly 25,000 people applied for asylum in 2024, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan. While asylum requests have declined since 2022, migration remains a key political issue, fueling the rise of far-right parties in Europe. Austria’s Freedom Party secured a major victory in last year’s national elections amid growing debate over immigration policies.
