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Woman ‘deliberately run over’ after fight outside disco

Police in Vienna are searching for a man who deliberately ran over a young woman with his car on Sunday morning after an argument outside a disco in the Favoriten district.

Published: 3 October 2016 11:15 CEST

Woman 'deliberately run over' after fight outside disco

The road where the woman was knocked down. Photo: ORF

The 22-year-old Serbian woman who lives in Vienna was seriously injured and is being treated in hospital. She had been dancing at the popular ‘Balkan Disco’ with friends and left at around 6:30am.

Police spokesman Christoph Pölzl said that a group of men accosted her and she began arguing with them, but one of the men wouldn’t leave her alone. A friend of hers tried to defuse the situation and suggested they go home.

The woman began walking towards a nearby bus stop with her friend, but one of the men she had been rowing with got into his car and followed her at high speed down the road. Eyewitnesses said that he accelerated, drove his Peugeot onto the pavement and knocked the woman over.

He then drove off at speed towards the Laxenburger Straße. Police are investigating and say the suspect could face charges of attempted murder.

The woman is being treated for a suspected fractured skull, a head injury, and a spinal injury. Doctors say she is in a stable condition but is not yet well enough to talk to the police.

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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