A 43-year-old man is in custody after threatening a sex worker and her partner with a knife in Vienna and chasing them through a gas station. According to police spokesperson Anna Gutt, the incident began early Sunday morning after the intoxicated man was ejected from a brothel in Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus for acting aggressively.
Around 6 a.m., the 30-year-old sex worker left the establishment after closing time and got into a car with her boyfriend. The suspect, who had reportedly become infatuated with her, ambushed the couple and approached them with a knife. He struck their car while threatening them. The woman’s partner drove off in fear, later admitting to running two red lights to escape.
Violent Pursuit Ends at Meidling Gas Station
The assailant pursued them in his own car to a gas station in Meidling. As the couple fled into the gas station shop and begged the employee to call police, the attacker followed them inside before the door could be locked. Brandishing a knife and shouting insults, he chased the couple through the aisles.
Another customer intervened, knocking the man down and disarming him. He and the victims held the suspect until police arrived. Officers arrested the 43-year-old and confiscated the knife. A breathalyzer test showed a blood alcohol level of 1.2‰.
Multiple Charges Filed
Authorities imposed a temporary weapons ban and revoked the suspect’s driver’s license. He is under investigation for making criminal threats, multiple property damage offenses, and traffic violations. He was transferred to a detention facility by order of the public prosecutor.
