A masked man attempted to strangle a taxi driver with a rope early Monday evening in Vienna’s Penzing district. The suspect had entered the taxi at a taxi stand while wearing a face mask and attacked the 52-year-old driver near Sanatoriumstraße. The driver managed to break free, and the assailant fled toward Raimannstraße. A police search of the area was unsuccessful, according to a statement by Vienna’s police department on Friday.
Police spokesperson Julia Schick told APA that the motive for the assault, which occurred around 5 p.m., remains unclear. “The suspect suddenly attacked the 52-year-old without demanding money or engaging in any argument with the driver,” she said.
The suspect is believed to be a teenager, approximately 150 cm tall, wearing black clothing, a black cap, and a face mask. The victim was treated at the scene by Vienna emergency services and taken to a hospital. The Vienna Criminal Investigation Department has taken over the case and is asking for any information from the public.
