Vienna, Austria (CNN) — Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister observed in horror as a gunman weaved out and in of bars and pubs in central Vienna, capturing at folks having fun with a final night time of enjoyable earlier than Austria’s nationwide coronavirus curfew got here into impact.
“He was working like a knowledgeable, educated attacker,” Hofmeister informed. “He appeared skilled, he did not look confused, and he wasn’t capturing round randomly — it was very focused and coordinated, like a fighter.”
Hofmeister witnessed the assault Monday night on the busy Bermuda Triangle leisure quarter, watching from his residence close to the Seitenstettengasse Temple, the synagogue the place he provides spiritual instruction.
Hofmeister referred to as the police and informed them {that a} gunman was working in the direction of folks at a bar, capturing “dozens, possibly tons of, of rounds.”
Police stand guard in Vienna’s metropolis heart Tuesday, a day after the gun assault.
Police stand guard in Vienna’s metropolis heart Tuesday, a day after the gun assault.
“He was working,” Hofmeister stated. “He was working backward and forwards and ran contained in the bars, and I heard pictures being fired contained in the bars. After which, throughout the next 15 or 20 minutes, I heard pictures from farther away. And as we heard, there have been several locations of assault.”
In Vienna, police informed that it’s nonetheless unclear if Monday night time’s shootings concerned a lone gunman or two or extra attackers. Authorities there suggested dad and mom maintain their youngster’s residence from faculty on Tuesday, in case different assailants are on the unfastened.
An Austrian legislation enforcement supply informed journalists that authorities had recognized six areas by a stretch of the Danube canal, the place shootings happened, the streets of Salzgries, Fleischmarkt, Bauernmarkt, Graben, Seitenstettengasse, and Morzinplatz.
Jimmy Eroglu, a waiter at Cafe Theo, described how visitors sitting at outdoors tables abruptly rushed into the restaurant as pictures rang out.
“I … went to look and requested: ‘What is going on on?’ And so they stated there is a capturing, after which I heard for sure at the very least 15 or 20 pictures,” he said, smoking a cigarette Monday night time to calm his nerves. He stated he had locked the shoppers contained in the cafe till the police arrived.
“I nonetheless cannot imagine this. At first, I believed I used to be someplace within the US,” he stated. “That is one thing we solely see in America, or Iraq or Afghanistan, however not right here in Austria.”
Eroglu, a Turkish Muslim who migrated to Austria when he was four years outdated, stated he needed to ship a message to the world that the attacker didn’t symbolize Islam: “Islam is not dangerous. Islam would not inform us to kill anybody — it is the alternative,” he stated.
Austrian police at Morzinplatz in Vienna Tuesday following the assault.
Austrian police at Morzinplatz in Vienna Tuesday following the assault.
Werner Beninger was having dinner and his spouse close by when he heard a collection of pictures ring out. He informed he initially thought the noises had been fireworks. “The pictures got here nearer, after which I spotted that it was a volley of pictures.”
“Individuals fled into the backyard of the restaurant; many have been nervous,” he stated. “Then special police unit WEGA got here and informed us to go to the basement, and there have been roughly 50 folks, and we waited it out within the basement.”
Beninger stated they stayed there till after 1 a.m. when police lastly gave them the all-clear to depart the scene.
Armed police patrol a passage close to the location of the assault on Monday.
Armed police patrol a passage close to the location of the assault on Monday.
The bloody assault, through which at the very least four folks have been killed and greater than 20 injured, happened within the metropolis’s historic first district, a space identified for its artwork nouveau structure and slender cobblestone streets lined with trend boutiques.
The world was busy on Monday night time, as mates met for a closing drink earlier than Vienna — like the remainder of Austria — went into coronavirus lockdown on Tuesday. Unseasonal heat had additionally attracted crowds of individuals to the world, many sitting outdoors in skinny jackets.
Robert Schneider, 39, informed he was heading in the direction of the world from his residence within the metropolis when he saw a laser pointing at his chest — he believes it was doubtless from a weapon belonging to cops world in response to the assault.
