Terror attack near Vienna's synagogue, 3 people killed

Reports indicate that some "heavily armed and dangerous" attackers could still be on the loose.

Two men and a woman died in the attack on central Vienna on Monday night that the Austrian interior minister blamed on an Islamic State sympathizer, the only known attacker who was shot dead by police, Vienna's police chief told a news conference on Tuesday.

The shooting happened on Schwedenplatz, a square located opposite the Carmelite Quarter, where several synagogues are located, but the attack did not involve the Jewish institutions, the president of the city’s communal organization said.

Oskar Deutch, president of the Jewish Community in Vienna, on Monday told the Kurier news site that none of the city’s Jewish institutions appear to have been hit. But he did not know if they had been a target in the shooting and warned the city’s Jews to stay home. Officials said that holding school on Tuesday would not be compulsory.

According to Rabbi Jacob Biderman, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Austria, all of the city’s synagogues have been accounted for with no known injuries or loss of life in the Jewish community. “While there is much about this attack that we do not yet know, we are thankful that the Jewish community seems to have been spared from harm and extend our prayers for all those injured,” Biderman told Chabad.org.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called the shootings a "repulsive terror attack," adding that the army would protect sites in the capital so the police could focus on anti-terror operations. "We are currently experiencing difficult hours in our Republic," Kurz wrote on Twitter. "I would like to thank all the emergency forces who are risking their lives for our safety, especially today. Our police will take decisive action against the perpetrators of this repulsive terrorist attack."

One perpetrator is said to have been killed. According to news reports from the Austrian capital, it is unknown how many perpetrators were involved.

Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer described the assailant killed by police in an attack in central Vienna on Monday as an "Islamist terrorist." "We experienced an attack yesterday evening from at least one Islamist terrorist," he told a news conference, calling the man an Islamic State sympathizer.

Several "heavily armed and dangerous" attackers were still on the loose as police shut down and sealed off large parts of central Vienna in a manhunt, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said in local media interviews. "We have brought several special forces units together that are now searching for the presumed terrorists. I am therefore not limiting it to an area of Vienna because these are mobile perpetrators."

Austrian police said the attack involved six crime scenes - Salzgries, Schwedenplatz, Graben, Fleischmarkt, Bauernmarkt and Morzinplatz.

The Mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig expressed his horror at the attack in Vienna on Twitter: “We were deeply shocked by the information about the shooting in the inner city. The pictures are shocking and stunned."

Ludwig also reported that at least one perpetrator was equipped with a long weapon, but also a pistol and a machete - so he was "very well prepared." A report by the Teletrader news agency later indicated a possible hostage situation, as hostages were taken taken at the Akakiko sushi restaurant in Mariahilfer Stasse, roughly 2.5 kilometers away from the synagogue in Seitenstettengasse. However, it is unknown at this point if and how the incidents are connected.

Several officials and community leaders responded to the shooting, condemning the attack, and calling on Viennese citizen to be careful and stay safe. Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister told London's LBC radio he was living in the compound of the synagogue. "Upon hearing shots, we looked down (from) the windows and saw the gunmen shooting at the guests of the various bars and pubs," he said. "The gunmen were running around and shooting at least 100 rounds or even more in front of our building."

Videos circulated on social media of a gunman running down a cobblestone street shooting and shouting.

President Emmanuel Macron of France, which has seen two deadly knife attacks in Paris and Nice in recent weeks, issued a statement expressing shock and sorrow. "This is our Europe," he said. "Our enemies must know with whom they are dealing. We will not retreat."

French officials have ramped up security since the attacks in Paris and Nice, which had suspected Islamist motives. Macron has deployed thousands of soldiers to protect sites such as places of worship and schools, and ministers have warned that other Islamist militant attacks could take place.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed that "the thoughts of Great Britain are with the people of Austria - we stand united with you against terror," wrote Johnson on Twitter, "deeply shocked."

Swedish Prime Minister "strongly condemn the terrorist attacks in Vienna tonight, one of them close to a synagogue," and adding, "my thoughts are with the victims and their families. We must all stand united against attacks on our open society."

Joseph Borrell Fontelles, vice president of the EU Commission, said, "I am shocked and moved by the terrible news about tonight’s attacks in Vienna. A cowardly act of violence and hate. My thoughts go to the victims and their families and the citizens of #Vienna. We stand by your side."

In 1981, two people were killed and 18 injured during an attack by two Palestinians at the same Vienna synagogue. In 1985, a Palestinian extremist group killed three civilians in an attack at the local airport. In recent years, Austria has been spared the sort of large-scale attacks seen in Paris, Berlin and London. In August, authorities arrested a 31-year-old Syrian refugee suspected of trying to attack a Jewish community leader in the country's second city Graz. The leader was unhurt.

Deep breath. LORD, please shed Your grace and mercy upon Austria, France, and all of Europe tonight.

Please allow for America to be a beacon in the midst of so much darkness as it has been through two world wars and more. May we vote for the righteous leaders You anoint to serve our great land. And revive the righteous principles which built our civilization! May we inspire the watching world to do the same for their nations.

In Jesus’ name. We proclaim a revival and recovery of our Judeo-Christian roots, not only here but in Europe. We pray for an era of peace and prosperity...We thank You for all the progress made under Trump’s first term. Especially with regard to Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East. We pray for four more years of incredible breakthroughs.

I think it is time for Christians to read the Imprecatory Psalms. Sometimes it is okay to pray for the wrath of God to punish your enemies.

Police this morning are still convinced of multiple participants. Some arrests made but nothing to say of who they are or how they participated.

“We in Austria will never let our right to exercise our religion be destroyed and we will protect the Christian community with all our strength.” — Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP)

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