Vienna: Soldier of Turkish origin shot dead by comrade

By Askin Kiyagan

VIENNA (AA) - An Austrian soldier of Turkish origin was shot dead by a fellow soldier on Monday, according to local police.

Patrick Maierhofer, spokesman for the Vienna Police, told reporters late Monday that a recent recruit of Turkish origin, 20, was shot by a fellow 22-year-old recruit at the Vorgarten military post in the capital Vienna.

Maierhofer said the soldier was killed by an Austrian StG 77 assault rifle and that the perpetrator was taken into custody while the incident is being investigated.

Maierhofer said the soldier who shot the rifle has not yet testified, adding that there was no apparent previous tension between the two soldiers.

He said investigators are trying to determine whether the incident was an accident or deliberate.

Austrian Defense Minister Hans Peter Doskozil said that he learned with great sorrow of the incident and expressed his condolences to the soldier’s family.

Dozkozil said the police and the prosecutor's office are waiting for the results of the investigation, adding that the incident "raises big question marks" as the soldiers’ weapons should not have been loaded at the time.