The man who shot dead four and left as many as 22 wounded in Vienna was a 20-year old Islamic State supporter who had served time in prison after being convicted of trying to travel to Syria to fight for the group, Austria authorities say.
Police haven't identified the dead except to say they were "an elderly man, an elderly woman, a younger passerby and a salesperson." One of the deceased is a German citizen, according to Germany's foreign minister.
Austria's Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said a police officer was among the injured and was in a stable condition after surgery.
Shooter Fejzulai Kujtim, a dual citizen of Austria and North Macedonia, was sentenced to 22 months in jail in April 2019, but was freed in December. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told CNN it was "now confirmed that the attack was clearly an Islamist terror attack. It was an attack out of hatred - hatred for our fundamental values, hatred for our way of life."
The Islamic State, which has claimed multiple attacks in Europe, said a "soldier of the caliphate" was responsible for the killings.
Fejzulai was armed with an automatic weapon, a handgun, a machete and a fake explosive vest, Nehammer said.
Police shot Fejzulai dead late Monday and later swooped on 18 different properties, detaining 14 people linked to the attacker, Nehammer said. Authorities believe there are multiple suspects and are on the hunt for all involved, The New York Times reported.
Before the attack, Fejzulai posted a photograph on social media that showed him posing with a Kalashnikov and machete he both used in the attack, police said.
The investigation continues in several countries - with Switzerland making two arrests and North Macedonia cooperating with the Austrian authorities.
Across Austria, flags were lowered to half-mast on government buildings and a minute of silence was observed around noon as church bells rang out.
Police warned earlier there was a possibility a second assailant was on the run and asked Vienna residents to stay at home. According to a police representative, this was based on eyewitnesses saying there might have been more than one assailant.
