Terror attack in Vienna leaves four dead

By Ivana Kottasová, Nectar Gan, Jenni Marsh and Helen Regan, CNN

Updated 5:16 p.m. ET, November 4, 2020

What we know so far

Terror attack in Vienna: Four people have been killed and 22 injured in an attack in a busy area of Vienna, Austria, on Monday evening. The country's interior minister and chancellor called the shooting an "Islamist terror attack."
Gunman: The attacker was identified as an ISIS supporter who had served time in prison after being convicted of trying to travel to Syria to fight for the terror group.
Released early: The gunman was sentenced to 22 months in jail in April 2019, but he was freed in December. He was eligible for conditional release due to his age.
Suspects: Authorities said that so far, there is no evidence that another person was involved in the attack, but investigation is still ongoing. Until the possibility of a further attacker is ruled out, Vienna residents have been advised to stay at home.

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6:10 p.m. ET, November 2, 2020

US Embassy in Austria issues active shooter security alert

From CNN’s Samantha Beech in Atlanta.

The US Embassy in Vienna has issued an "Urgent Security Alert" on its website and social media accounts, after a suspected terror attack in the Austrian capital.

The alert reads:

"There is an ACTIVE SHOOTER incident the Vienna 1st district near the area of Schwedenplatz near Sterngasse. Active gunfire. Police are present and engaging. All residents are urged to stay inside until further notice."

It also advises people to avoid the area, follow local authorities' instructions, and monitor local media for updates.

Similar messages have been posted or retweeted on the US Embassy Vienna's social media account, warning of an active shooter situation.

6:11 p.m. ET, November 2, 2020

At least one person dead, and 15 injured in Vienna 'terror attack'

From CNN's By Denise Hruby, Frederik Pleitgen, Simon Cullen and Eliza Mackintosh

Police cars and ambulances stand in the central Vienna on November 2, following a shooting near a synagogue. Georg Mochmuth/APA/AFP/Getty Images

At least one person has been killed and 15 injured in a suspected "terror attack" involving multiple gunmen in central Vienna, according to Austrian police.

One of the suspected attackers was also shot dead, police said.

Austria's Interior Minister Karl Nehammer has described the incident as a "terror attack," and urged members of the public to stay indoors, as police try to find the attackers.

"We are still in battle against the would-be terrorists," Nehammer said on Austrian broadcaster ORF on Monday night, adding that several suspects are armed with assault rifles. "We assume there are several heavily armed perpetrators."

Gunfire erupted in the Austrian capital at six locations in the center of the city at around 8 p.m. local time Monday, hours before the start of a nationwide lockdown to combat a resurgence of Covid-19, according to police.

Vienna's mayor Michael Ludwig said the attackers started randomly shooting at people in a busy district packed with cafes and restaurants near Vienna's main synagogue, Seitenstettengasse Temple.

"We are trying to find out more about the perpetrators and keep the population safe," he told ORF.