Boy (11) shot cyclist with air rifle

An 11-year-old boy accidentally shot a cyclist with an air rifle on Sunday after his mother allowed him to “hunt rats” in their garden in Braunau am Inn, Upper Austria.

Published: 29 September 2014 16:30 CEST

Air rifle. Photo: APA/dpa

The 55-year-old female cyclist was hit by a pellet on her left hand and needed hospital treatment, police said.

The boy’s mother said she had allowed him to play with the rifle behind their house as it backed on to a large field and she didn’t think there was any danger of him harming anybody. He was supposed to be hunting rats, she said.

However the cyclist and her husband happened to be riding down a dirt road by the field.

Police have confiscated the air rifle and have temporarily banned the family from owning any weapons.

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UPDATED: Vienna police investigating possible 'threat' to Donau Zentrum shopping centre

The Vienna police confirmed they are investigating a non-specified threat to the Donau Zentrum shopping centre, located in the Austrian capital’s 22nd district, a spokesperson told The Local.

On Monday, pictures of an alleged internal document sent by the shopping centre to tenants circulated on social media and messaging apps. The document stated there was a “threat against the Westfield Donau Zentrum for April 30, 2024”. It stated that the authorities had been working to identify suspects since yesterday.

“The source of the threat is a photo circulating online”, the statement said without giving further details. “If we receive additional information or specifications, we will immediately inform you”, it added.

“There is currently no reason for you as an employee to worry as we are strictly following police guidelines”, the document said. It was signed by a manager of the shopping centre. The Local reached out to Donau Zentrum media representatives, who confirmed a threat against the centre.

“The Center Management of Westfield Donau Zentrum can confirm a threat against the center and is in ongoing communication with the relevant authorities. We are taking the situation seriously. The safety of everyone in the center is our top priority. After coordination with the authorities, the center will be open as usual today”, they said.

The Vienna police confirmed the veracity of the statement and added, “We are aware of the matter and are investigating,” they replied after an inquiry on their official social media channels. The Local reached out to the press office for further clarification but has not yet received a response.

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