Austrian mayor shot dead with suspect on the run, police say
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Loading... - Dalila Kettani
- 31 Oct 2024
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A manhunt is currently in progress in northern Austria after a hunter allegedly shot and killed two people before fleeing the scene, according to local police. One of the victims was Franz Hofer, the mayor of Kirchberg ob der Donau, who was killed in Altenfelden, a village in Austria’s rural Muhlviertel region, close to the German and Czech borders. The second victim was shot shortly afterward, said Upper Austria police spokesperson Ulrike Handelbauer.
A large-scale police operation is underway, involving helicopters and special forces. The suspect, identified as 56-year-old Roland Drexler, is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous, having escaped in a Volkswagen Caddy. Police report that the motive behind the incident appears to be a long-standing dispute over hunting rights, though the reason for its escalation remains unclear. According to local newspaper Kronen Zeitung, Drexler was known to hunters in the area as a difficult person.
This tragic event has left officials at the People’s Party (OVP) regional headquarters in Linz in shock, with state party leader Florian Hiegelsperger calling it “madness.” Herbert Sieghartsleitner, the state’s hunting master, expressed disbelief and sorrow, saying, “I am deeply shocked by what has happened. I knew Franz Hofer very well personally.” The situation is still developing as authorities continue their search for the suspect.
