Prison Sentences After Shooting at Vienna's Yppenplatz

The younger defendant had shot with a pistol at Yppenplatz in Ottakring on July 14, 2024, seriously injuring two people: a 23-year-old stateless person and a 19-year-old Syrian. He received a seven-year prison sentence for intentional serious bodily harm and drug trafficking. The 29-year-old was accused of accompanying the shooter to the crime scene with a large machete and injuring another man. He received five years in prison for serious bodily harm and drug trafficking. He and another defendant were unanimously acquitted of the charge of attempted murder.

Shooting at Vienna's Yppenplatz over "Dispute about Drugs"

"A dispute over drugs was the trigger for the acts," the prosecutor stated at the beginning of the trial. The two defendants had "intensive contacts in the drug scene" and - presumably as part of a group focused on drug deals - largely made their living from selling cannabis. Defense lawyers Alexander Philipp and Andreas Reichenbach agreed. "It was about money debts and financial demands that one side did not fulfill," said Philipp. The defendants wanted to emphasize their demands.

21-Year-Old Admits to Shooting

"I fired four shots at two people. But not to kill them. If I had wanted to kill them, I could have shot them in the head. They were not far in front of me. Then I wouldn't have deliberately shot them in the buttocks," said the 21-year-old. The native Libyan was not willing to provide further information: "Basically, I can't say more about it. It was just like that." The interrogation of the second defendant was similar. It was also over after what felt like two minutes. "I only wanted to threaten the person or scare them," said the Algerian. The 29-year-old admitted to having the intent to injure. He did not answer further questions and referred to his right to remain silent.

The defendants had already exercised this right immediately after their arrests. The police had secured a backpack at the crime scene with marijuana baggies apparently prepared for street sale. In addition to attempted murder, the younger defendant was charged with supplying one kilogram, and the 29-year-old with 800 grams of marijuana. This was "only the tip of the iceberg," emphasized the prosecutor. The defendants had allegedly sold significantly more. In the interest of the acceleration principle, only clearly provable drug deals were included in the indictment.

The two men were comprehensively confessing to the incriminated drug trafficking. Regarding the Wild West scenes at Yppenplatz - according to defense lawyer Reichenbach "now a very well-known drug hub in Vienna" - the defendants were incriminated by surveillance camera footage installed in public spaces or in front of venues. These documented the incriminated criminal acts.

Armed Departure to Vienna's Yppenplatz

The accused had gone to the crime scene around 6:00 PM. When the 21-year-old, armed with a pistol, noticed the three opposing men who apparently owed him money, he first fired at a 23-year-old, hitting him in the buttocks, right thigh, and left lower leg. The other two tried to run away, the 21-year-old fired another shot and also hit a 19-year-old in the buttocks. The man armed with a machete "took care" of the third man and struck towards his hip. The blade tore the attacked man's pants but caused no further damage.

The prosecutor emphasized that the "settling of accounts" took place "in broad daylight." Even a slight deviation in the trajectory of each shot could have resulted in life-threatening injuries for the two shot men. It was "only with a lot of luck" that nothing more happened. "Everyone must be aware that a shot to the center of the body can also be fatal," said the prosecutor.

The 21-year-old was arrested at the end of October as part of a Europe-wide manhunt. The identity of the Libyan could be clarified because he already had a previous conviction for drug trafficking and was recognized by investigators from the Vienna State Criminal Police Office on surveillance camera footage. When the handcuffs clicked for the 21-year-old, he was in the company of the 29-year-old, who then turned out to be the sought-after second perpetrator. The Algerian had not previously come to the attention of the criminal justice system.

Witness Statements in Trial on Shooting at Vienna's Yppenplatz Not Very Productive

The man hit by three bullets was not available to the court as a witness. After his release from the hospital, the traces of the 23-year-old were lost. He had told the police that he could not explain why he was shot. "I was so shocked and didn't notice anything else," the statements of the stateless person were read out.

The second man who was shot was brought into the courtroom by the judicial guard as a witness. The 19-year-old is in pre-trial detention on suspicion of drug trafficking. "I can't remember what happened. It's been a year," the native Syrian stated. He did not want to "say anything wrong": "Someone shot me. Then I ran away. I only noticed this gunshot wound afterwards."

(APA/red)

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