© europics.at

20. 08. 09. - 14:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

20. 08. 09. - 14:00

Teen burglar gunned down by cops remains in custody

By Thomas Hochwarter

A teenager whose pal was gunned down by cops in a Krems supermarket is to remain in custody for a further four weeks, prosecutors said today (Thurs).

Eva Taborsky, head state prosecutor at the court in Krems, Lower Austria, said there was still a danger 17-year-old Roland T. could commit more crimes – despite the fact the teenager is recovering from shot wounds to both thighs after officers opened fire on him.

There was public outrage after Roland T. and 14-year-old Florian T. were shot at by police responding to an alarm at the Merkur supermarket on 5 August.

Florian T. was shot dead in the pitch-black shop after officers said at the time the pair tried to attack them.

It was discovered that the boys were armed only with a screwdriver and a garden hoe and Roland T. has told investigators he and his pal were trying to run when the police opened fire.

Florian T. was buried at a ceremony attended by 200 friends and family members in Krems last week.

Amnesty International (AI) in Austria head Heinz Patzelt today blasted the decision to extend Roland T.’s custody as "information prevention".

He claimed prosecutors wanted to rob the boy of his chance to publicly give his point of view which contradicts the statements of the police officers – who could face manslaughter charges.

Patzelt said that, considering his serious injuries, it was "bizarre" to claim there was a danger the teenager could commit more crimes.

Just after the killing he said the country’s police officers were "generally not trigger-happy" but criticised the fact Roland T. was interviewed soon after the incident while investigators waited three days to speak to the two officers because they were suffering from shock.

Roland T. claimed he and his 14-year-old pal Florian P. were fleeing when the cops gunned them down. The two police officers – a man and a woman – told investigators they were attacked by the teenage pair and acted in self-defence.

The police officers said the 17-year-old wanted to hit them with the garden hoe he carried. But many observers have questioned why the officers did not wait for support or ordered to have the lights turned on in the supermarket since the incident occurred in the dark.

The teenagers grew up in Lerchenfeld, a part of Krems which is described as a "ghetto" by media and some young people living there. It has been reported that elderly people were scared to go outside at night because of local gangs.

Prosecutor Friedrich Köhl said an on-site inspection with the two cops and the teenager would be carried out within the next few weeks, adding that forensic expert Christian Reiter and weapons specialist Ingo Wieser has been assigned to investigate.

Investigations are continuing into a 28-year-old Romanian who has admitted he drove Roland T. to the supermarket on the night of the robbery. He has claimed he did not know what his friend planned to do there.

Austrian Times

Related articles: police scandals

1. Vienna police under fire over recruit campaign

   » General News 2010-03-17

   Viennese police have been confronted with harsh criticism of a new recruitment initiative.

2. Linz court acquits all 1 May demonstrators

   » General News 2010-02-12

   All the demonstrators arrested on 1 May 2009 in Linz for alleged attacks on police have been acquitted, with the last being formally acquitted yesterday (Thurs)

3. Prohibited Vienna demonstration ends with 14 arrested

   » General News 2010-02-01

   Protestors set a police car and a shop ablaze as police tried to break up an illegal demonstration against Vienna’s Corporation Ball organised by right-wing student unions.

4. Shooting suspect escaped police station week before, cops admit

   » General News 2010-01-15

   An alleged Serb mobster suspected of gunning down a Vienna policeman this week escaped from a Lower Austrian police station just a week before the shooting, it emerged today (Fri).

5. Cops lose appeal over migrant beating

   » General News 2010-01-08

   Four Vienna cops who left a Gambian man with broken bones after a vicious assault in his cell as he awaited deportation have lost an appeal against disciplinary sanctions over the actions.

6. Police admit mistakes as Kampusch case investigations end

   » General News 2010-01-08

   A leading police investigator has admitted "big mistakes" in the search for the kidnapper of Natascha Kampusch as officials today (Fri) announced the case was closed.

7. Policeman who killed boy to be tried

   » General News 2010-01-05

   A policeman who shot and killed a 14-year-old in a supermarket is to be tried for manslaughter, it has been announced.

8. Kampusch 'fled twice but returned on same day'

   » General News 2010-01-04

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch fled her sick jailer twice during captivity – but came back to him within hours of each attempt, a magazine has claimed.

9. Escape claims a 'sheer lie', Kampusch says

   » General News 2010-01-04

   Kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch has branded claims she fled her sick jailer twice during captivity but returned within hours a "sheer lie".

10. Kampusch case investigations to continue in 2010

    » General News 2009-12-30

    Investigations into the kidnapping of Natascha Kampusch will continue next year, it has emerged.

Higher cigarette prices on tap
Austria Tabak reported today (Fri) that the price of its 35 brands of cigarettes would increase by 10 to 20 cents a pack at the end of March.

RI's Croat subsidiary gets €30mn credit
Raiffeisen International’s (RI) Croatian subsidiary Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. received a 30-million-Euro credit by the German Investment and Development Society (DEG), it was announced.

Austrian Catholics turn on church
Austrian Roman Catholics are up in arms over sex scandals involving local priests and children with increasing numbers threatening to quit the church.

Wolford's earnings up in first three quarters
Vorarlberg textile firm Wolford reported today (Fri) that its earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) had increased in the first three quarters of its 2009/2010 business year.

More foreign holidays planned this year
More Austrians are planning on holidays abroad this year after 2009 saw a drop in numbers, according to a study by public opinion research agency Karmasin.

Siemens Austria to lay off 500 to 600
Siemens Austria said today (Fri) it would lay off 500 to 600 of 2,000 workers in software division SIS (IT solutions and services) in the near future.

Graz police smash drug ring
An Iranian asylum seeker thought to be the boss of a drug-dealing gang has been arrested along with 11 cohorts, police said today (Fri).

Verbund could lose interest in French Poweo
Austrian energy provider Verbund’s 46 per cent interest in French electricity provider Poweo may become less valuable if the firm makes good on its threat to stop providing service to end customers.

Kasabian roll into Vienna
British indie rock giants Kasabian will return to Austria this summer, it has been revealed.

Paraglider crashes against bus
A 34-year-old paraglider escaped with bruises after smashing into a moving bus in Eben, Tyrol, yesterday (Thurs).