Cardinal Schönborn on Vienna attack: nothing can justify blind violence

Vatican News

"Whatever the matrix of the attack in Vienna, it must be clear that blind violence cannot be justified by anything.” These are the words of the Archbishop of the Austrian capital, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, in the aftermath of the shootings that took place Monday evening in six different places in the city centre. His words were published on the website of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Austria.

Cardinal Schönborn asked for prayers for the victims of the attack and for emergency services workers. "In these dramatic hours I pray with many others who are following the tragic events in the heart of our city through the media, for the victims, the emergency services and that there will be no more bloodshed," he said in an interview with Kathpress, in which he described himself as "deeply moved" by the events he had to witness.

"The fact that shots were fired directly in front of the city temple of the Israelite religious community reminds me of the bloody attack on the synagogue in 1981. Whatever the background to this time's attack, it must be clear that blind violence cannot be justified by anything," he concluded.

At least three people died and fifteen more were injured on Monday night after gunmen opened fire in a terror attack in the city centre. Though the number of gunmen still remains unclear, police in Austria have stated that shots were fired in at least six different places throughout the capital.