It was hell that a girl apparently had to endure on Wednesday afternoon in a stairwell of the former mail distribution centre in Linz. Four young migrants (14 and 15 years old) allegedly attacked the 16-year-old girl and raped her for more than an hour. One of the suspects was still on the run on Thursday evening.
The hitherto sheltered life of the 16-year-old schoolgirl was deeply fractured on Wednesday and will probably never be fully repaired: humiliated, abused, molested and violated. Four young migrants allegedly brutally attacked the girl and raped her for more than an hour in a stairwell in the former mail distribution centre in Linz. The girl’s ordeal was only finally ended when police officers passing by heard cries for help.
The fact that the crime took place in broad daylight in the middle of Linz, not far from the police station and close to the registration office for Ukrainian refugees, shocked many Upper Austrians. However, this incident also illustrates the callousness of the four alleged perpetrators. Three of them have already been identified – a 14-year-old Iranian from Vöcklabruck, a 15-year-old Afghan from Amstetten and a 15-year-old Afghan from Linz. The origin, name and age of the fourth suspect were reportedly unknown for the time being. The police were feverishly searching for him.
It is still unclear how the victim could have fallen into the clutches of her tormentors. The 16-year-old is likely to have massive memory gaps due to severe trauma.
The three suspects were apparently already known to the police. They are said to deny rape, even though the situation in which they were found seems to contradict them. The alleged victim is also said to have identified them.
It was an officer of the aliens’ police who acted properly at 5.20 p.m. on Wednesday when he heard suspicious voices on his way to the toilet near Linz Central Station. He called for reinforcements. Shortly afterwards, the police officers heard a scream and opened an emergency exit door to a stairwell near the former postal distribution centre. There they reportedly saw four partially exposed youths kneeling over a girl lying on the ground. “The situation in which they were found was so critical that a crime had to be assumed,” confirms Fritz Stadlmayr, spokesperson for the provincial police directorate.
At the sight of the officers, the suspects are said to have run in different directions. A large-scale manhunt with helicopter, dozens of patrol crews and the riot squad was carried out in response.
Two suspected perpetrators were arrested immediately. A third was caught in the area of the tax office. His trousers were said to be still unbuttoned. When asked why this was so, he claimed to have been relieving himself. The trio was taken to the police detention centre, but only questioned after the alleged victim had been questioned.
The fourth suspect had run in the direction of the Wissensturm, an aliens’ police officer was chasing him. The chase continued towards the Linz stadium, but in the area of the Bergschlösslpark the policeman lost sight of the fugitive.
The victim, who was obviously severely traumatised, was taken to hospital for clinical examination. Evidence found there confirmed the suspicion of gang rape. After consultation with the public prosecutor’s office in Linz, the three suspects were transferred to the Linz prison shortly before midnight on Thursday and remanded in custody on Friday morning.