My buddy Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff tells me that Austrian TV reports that the attacker held an Egyptian passport and that this was the residence of the Iranian ambassador. An old building which was robbed from a Jewish family during Nazi era.
UPDATE: Elisabeth now adds:
These are the facts: the perp was an Egyptian with Austrian passport. Confirmed by police. Raid now taking place in mother’s apartment as perp was living with her. police also confirming they are looking whether perp had contacts “with certain religious groups”. The building is called “Villa Blaimschein”
Knifeman killed at Iran ambassador’s Vienna home: police
A 26-year-old Austrian was shot dead outside the Iranian ambassador’s residence in Vienna on Sunday night after he attacked a guard with a knife, police said.
The assailant “died on the spot” after the soldier opened fire, police spokesman Harald Soeros told AFP, adding that the attack took place just before midnight local time.
The motive for the attack is not yet known, police said.
The soldier, who was standing guard outside the building, suffered a wound to his upper arm in the attack.
“He initially used pepper spray” against the assailant, Soeros said, before opening fire. He was believed to have fired his weapon at least four times.
According to early indications he “acted within the rules”, said a spokesman from the ministry of defence quoted by the APA agency.
The official added that the soldier, who is from the Tyrol region of Austria, has been treated in hospital.
Police have ordered reinforcements around all diplomatic missions in the city.
The incident comes just days after two knife attacks in Vienna, including one that left a couple and their 17-year-old daughter with severe injuries.
A 23-year-old Afghan national confessed to those assaults but denied any political motive.
