Vienna gun attack by Islamic State sympathizer shatters an evening of revelry

Peering out a window at Vienna’s main synagogue compound Monday night, Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister watched as a gunman opened fire on customers in the bars and restaurants of the city’s main nightlife district.

The shots rang out — dozens of volleys, perhaps hundreds, he isn’t sure — sending people fleeing through the streets in panic and into bars to seek cover. The attacker followed them inside, Hofmeister said. More gunfire followed.

The shooting left at least five dead, including an assailant, along with 22 people wounded. It unfolded as the city’s residents relished a few final hours of revelry before a new coronavirus lockdown.

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