A violent knife attack in southern Austria on Saturday left a 14-year-old boy dead and five others injured. Authorities confirmed that a 23-year-old suspect was arrested in connection with the incident in Villach.

Officials identified the attacker as a Syrian national who had legal residency in Austria. Among the injured victims—all men—two remain in critical condition. Police Spokesperson Rainer Dionisio stated that the motive behind the attack is yet to be determined. “We have to wait until we get secure information,” he said, adding that an investigation into the suspect’s background is underway.

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A key witness to the attack, a 42-year-old Syrian man employed as a food delivery worker, attempted to intervene by using his car to block the attacker’s movements, according to ORF.

Lawmakers React

Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser extended his condolences to the victim’s family, calling for strict consequences. “This outrageous atrocity must be met with harsh consequences. I have always said with clarity and unambiguously: those who live in Carinthia, in Austria, have to respect the law and adjust to our rules and values,” he said.

Far-right Freedom Party lawmaker Erwin Angerer linked the attack to Austria’s asylum policies, describing them as “disastrous.” Meanwhile, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner is set to visit Villach on Sunday morning.

Authorities continue to investigate whether the suspect acted alone, keeping open the possibility of additional perpetrators.

This attack comes at a time when several European countries, including Austria, recently suspended asylum decisions for Syrian nationals. The policy shift follows concerns about the political instability in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s oppressive regime.