Twelve-year-old stabs 15-year-old in Vienna-Favoriten – victim was in life-threatening condition

The two 14- and 16-year-old victims were also taken to a hospital after receiving emergency medical treatment. Their injuries were less severe according to the authorities. During a dispute among youths at Wielandplatz in Vienna-Favoriten, a twelve-year-old stabbed a 15-year-old with a pocket knife on Thursday.

Background: Dispute over a girl

As a police spokesperson explained to the APA, the twelve-year-old had originally wanted to meet the sister of the seriously injured youth on Thursday. The girl's brother reportedly learned of this and came to the meeting point at Wielandplatz instead on Thursday – accompanied by his two friends, according to police.

The dispute ultimately broke out there, during which the twelve-year-old "wie wild um sich gestochen habe," as the spokesperson explained, citing the interrogations of the two less seriously injured victims. According to initial investigations, the perpetrator is a 12-year-old Syrian national.

The perpetrator had fled before the emergency services arrived. Immediately afterward, police launched an immediate search for the fugitive Syrian. As part of the immediate search measures initiated, officers from the WEGA special unit were able to stop the suspect on Laaer-Berg-Straße.

Arrest on Laaer-Berg-Straße

The suspected twelve-year-old was arrested after a brief flight. The suspected weapon, a pocket knife that he had thrown away during his flight, was found in the nearby area and secured. The discarded pocket knife was found nearby and secured as evidence.

The minor youth was taken to a police station and subsequently handed over to his legal guardian, police said. Since the suspect has not yet reached the age of 14, he is not criminally responsible under Austrian law; the responsible authorities and youth welfare services were involved.

Investigations by the State Criminal Police Office

The Vienna State Criminal Police Office, South Branch, has taken over the investigations. Among other things, it is being examined how the twelve-year-old came into possession of the pocket knife and what circumstances led to the meeting at Wielandplatz. Police secured evidence at the crime scene and interviewed eyewitnesses as well as the two less seriously injured victims.

According to police, a brawl between several youths is said to have taken place around 7:20 p.m. On Thursday, a bloody dispute broke out in Wielandpark in Vienna-Favoriten. Yesterday evening, police were alerted due to a brawl between youths in Wielandpark in the tenth district.

Officers at the scene encountered the three youths injured by the knife. One of the suspects is only 12 years old. He is said to have life-threateningly injured a 15-year-old with a pocket knife. Zwölfjähriger verletzte Bub lebensgefährlich mit Messer – this is how police summarized the incident.

WEGA officers stopped the suspect shortly afterward on Laaer-Berg-Straße. The incident occurred at Wielandplatz on Thursday in Vienna-Favoriten. The APA reported on the case on 10.7.2026.

Reactions and Prevention

The Vienna State Police Directorate pointed out that the investigations are still ongoing. Information from the public that could contribute to the clarification is being received by the South Branch of the State Criminal Police Office. The investigators are also examining possible connections between the youths involved.

From the perspective of youth protection initiatives, such incidents raise the question of how at-risk children and young people can be reached at an early stage. In Vienna, there are established contact points for young people in conflict situations, including streetwork offerings and the Vienna Youth Advocacy Office, which provides advisory support in comparable cases.

Current Health Status of the Victims

Police emphasized that the 15-year-old is meanwhile in stable condition and no longer in acute life-threatening danger. His further recovery will be monitored medically. The relatives of the three injured were notified and supported by the police victim protection facilities.

For clarifying the exact sequence of events, the interrogation of the two less seriously injured 14- and 16-year-olds is of central importance. Their statements already provided indications of the course of the crime and the behavior of the twelve-year-old during the dispute at Wielandplatz.