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One dead in stabbing attack in Austria; 23-year-old Syrian national detained

A 23-year-old man stabbed five passersby in southern Austria on Saturday in what police said was a random attack that left a 14-year-old dead and four others injured.

The suspect was detained in the city of Villach, where the attack took place, police said. He is a Syrian national with legal residence in Austria, they said.

The victims were all men. Two were seriously injured and two sustained minor injuries, police said.

Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio said a motive was not immediately known. He added that police were investigating the attacker`s personal background. “We have to wait until we get secure information,” he said.

A 42-year-old man who works for a food delivery company witnessed the incident from his car, police said. He drove toward the suspect and helped to prevent things from getting worse, Dionisio told Austria`s public broadcaster ORF.

Police said it wasn`t clear whether the suspect acted on his own and therefore continue to search for potential further suspects.

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