Teenagers shoot dog owner with firecrackers in Vienna's Drasche Park
In the Alois-Drasche Park in Vienna's Wieden district, teenagers attacked a dog owner with fireworks and subsequently vandalised his residential building.
Attack with pyrotechnics: Youth group assaults man and dog in Drasche Park
An incident occurred on Sunday evening in the Alois-Drasche Park in Vienna's Wieden district, in which a dog owner was shot at by a group of teenagers with fireworks. According to the Kronen Zeitung, the situation escalated after the man asked the boys to stop setting off firecrackers.
"I was in the Alois-Drasche Park with my dog when I came across seven teenagers of Arab descent who were handling pyrotechnics. When I asked them to stop, they shot at my dog and me with fireworks," the victim told the Kronen Zeitung.
Chase to his home
The group did not leave the man alone: they pursued him and his dog to Blechturmgasse, where both only just managed to get into their apartment building. Afterwards, the teenagers vandalised the entrance area of the building – doorbells and cameras were smashed, and the entrance gate was kicked.
The affected man described his state of mind as follows: "I was incredibly frightened. I came to Austria years ago to start a family here and had always been able to live in safety. Today I cannot even let my children cross the park."
Neighbourhood in uproar
Other residents of the building were also startled by the noise. "I was jolted awake by the noise and initially did not know what was happening. Then I saw the photos from the WhatsApp group of our building. The whole neighbourhood was in uproar," reported a resident.
The police confirmed the incident and the damage to the entrance area. "The investigation is ongoing," a police spokesperson said.
Political reaction
FPÖ city councillor Stefan Berger subsequently called for tougher action: "The security situation around the Alois-Drasche Park must finally be addressed with full determination." According to the Kronen Zeitung, the park in Vienna's 4th district has long been known as a notorious drug hotspot.
Source: Kronen Zeitung