Mass Shooting: Gunman Opens Fire At Concert, Two Dead, Eleven Injured

Attendees at an Austrian outdoor concert were devastated to find themselves in the midst of a mass shooting on Sunday morning as a man started to randomly fire shots into the crowd at nearly 1 a.m.

The mass shooting took place in the western town of Nenzig, Austria. According to witnesses, the shooter was arguing with a woman before the shooting occurred. The argument took place in a parking lot nearby. As the verbal fight escalated, the man walked away and headed toward his car, according to Metro. The gunman, whose name has not been revealed, grabbed a gun from his car and then headed back to the outdoor concert.

The crowd of nearly 150 attendees had no idea what was about to happen to them as they enjoyed the music and continued to have a good time.

The shooter returned to the concert and reportedly started shooting into the crowd. It appeared as though he did not make a point to find the woman he was arguing with and harm her explicitly. Instead, he opened fire on random individuals as he walked carelessly through the crowd.

The mass shooting resulted in the lives of two innocent individuals being lost. In addition, 11 people were seriously injured.

The Sydney Morning Herald revealed that, according to authorities, some of the victims that were injured are not expected to survive, while others are seriously hurt and will receive ongoing medical attention.

As the gunman shot into the crowd, concert goers ran for safety, hoping to find solace from the terror that was being forced upon them.

When the gunman had enough, he turned the gun upon himself, ending his own life.

The true cause of the gunman’s attack is unknown. It is also unknown whether his fight with the woman in the parking lot pushed him over the edge to commit the heinous crime, or if he intended to open fire into the crowd all along.

The weapon used to terrorize the crowd was a rifle.

The concert was organized by a motorcycle club. Reports claim the club was comprised of regional members, not international attendees. It is unknown if the gunman was a rival motorcycle gang member, or a member of the gang in attendance.

The mass shooting is not thought to be terrorist-related, or the result of any sort of international organization.

Violence at public events is a real concern in today’s society. Whether in the United States, Austria, or anywhere else in the world, many individuals have become paranoid and full of anxiety when attending public events. Authorities across the world have worked diligently to prevent mass shootings from occurring, but none have found a sure fire way to prevent such tragedies from happening.

Some claim the answer is to ban the use and purchase of guns. However, others claim that doing so would leave the general population defenseless in situations where mass shootings occur because the nefarious shooter will most likely not abide by the rules and regulations set forth, instead buying the weapons and ammunition on the black market or steal them from other sources.

It is unknown whether the Austrian mass shooter owned the gun legally and was licensed to carry the weapon.

Gun violence, and violence of all other sorts, is a real problem that needs a real solution.

What are your thoughts on the mass shooting in Austria, as well as mass shootings throughout the world? Are there common themes among them that may reveal ways to stop the violence? What ideas do you have to prevent mass shootings in the future?

[Photo Via: Deymos HR/Shutterstock]