President Trump on Monday sent prayers and a pledge of support to Vienna after terrorist gunmen opened fire on people out for the evening in the busy city center.
At least two people were killed — including one of the attackers — and 15 people were injured in the coordinated attack by several gunmen, according to Vienna officials.
“Our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe. These evil attacks against innocent people must stop,” Mr. Trump tweeted as he headed to his final campaign rally before Tuesday’s election. “The U.S. stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists.”
The motivation for the attacks was not immediately known. Some speculated it was an anti-Semitic attack because the shooting took place outside the city’s main synagogue.
The shooting began shortly after 8 p.m. on a lively street in Vienna where people were enjoying a night out before a coronavirus lockdown took effect.
The attack followed a string of recent terror attacks in Europe.
France endured three attacks blamed on Muslim extremists in recent weeks: one by a Pakistani refugee that wounded two people outside satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo’s old headquarters; the beheading of a schoolteacher who showed students caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad; and a deadly knife attack Thursday in a church in the Mediterranean city of Nice.
• This article is based in part on wire service reports.
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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