A massive manhunt is underway in northern Austria after a hunter allegedly killed two people, including a small-town mayor, and wounded another person Monday morning, October 28. Authorities say the tragedy stems from a dispute over hunting rights.
Police identified the suspect as Roland Drexler, 56, who remains at large and is considered “armed and extremely dangerous,” according to police spokeswoman Ulrike Handlbauer.
The shooting occurred in the Rohrbach district of Upper Austria, near the Czech border. Franz Hofer, mayor of Kirchberg ob der Donau, was found dead in a meadow approximately 1,640 feet from a federal highway in the village of Altenfelden.
Hofer, who had served as mayor of the town of approximately 1,000 residents since 2008, was also the local hunting director. The second victim, described as a current or former hunting official, was discovered in nearby Arnreit. A third person was wounded in the attack, though their identity has not been released.
The violence appears to be connected to a long-running dispute over hunting rights in the region. Local media reported that Hofer had recently filed a complaint against the suspect for “unhuntsmanlike behavior.”
Acquaintances from the local hunting community described Drexler as a “problematic” individual.
Austrian authorities have deployed EKO Cobra, an elite special forces unit, to assist in the search for Drexler. Police helicopters are scanning the area, and residents have been instructed to remain indoors.
State Hunting Master Herbert Sieghartsleitner expressed shock at the incident, stating, “I knew Franz Hofer very well personally. It is unbelievable what is happening right now.”
The area surrounding the crime scenes has been completely sealed off as authorities continue their search for the suspect. Police have established a security perimeter and are conducting a systematic search of the region.
