A suspect has turned himself in.
©AP / APA/EVA MANHART (symbol image)
After the attack on Guido Burgstaller from Bundesliga soccer team SK Rapid on Saturday morning, a 23-year-old turned himself in to the Vienna police on Tuesday evening.
The man refused to testify and was taken to a correctional facility after consultation with the public prosecutor. He is said to have first started a conversation with Burgstaller's companion and then suddenly punched the professional athlete in the face. Burgstaller was seriously injured.
The accused and the subsequent victim are unknown to each other, emphasized the Vienna State Police Directorate on Wednesday, which is not naming those involved for data protection reasons. The parties met at around 6 a.m. in front of a discotheque on Heldenplatz. According to initial investigations, the 23-year-old initially turned to Burgstaller's companion. The Rapid player did not behave aggressively, but was suddenly hit in the face by the perpetrator, fell to the ground and suffered, among other things, a fractured skull.
Attack clearly visible on video
The suspect was also identified as a result of extensive investigations by the Graf group, Vienna State Criminal Police Office, East Central branch, in particular through evaluations of video surveillance systems and witness interviews, the police said. The events can be clearly seen in the recordings. The Austrian citizen was then identified and contacted by the police. The suspect then voluntarily turned himself in to the Vienna State Criminal Police Office.
The investigation into suspicion of intentional serious bodily harm is ongoing. Since the 23-year-old refused to make a statement, nothing can be said about the motive for the crime for the time being, police spokesman Philipp Haßlinger explained in response to APA inquiries.
No questioning of Burgstaller is possible yet
After receiving emergency medical care from the Vienna professional rescue service, Burgstaller was taken to a hospital. According to SK Rapid, his condition improved on Tuesday. Burgstaller has not yet been able to be interviewed for health reasons. Due to the severity of the injuries, the 35-year-old will be out for several months. His early career end is in the offing.
This article has been automatically translated, you can read the original article here.
