A vast search operation kicked off in the northern region of Austria following a grave incident on Monday morning, October 28, where a hunter shot two individuals, including a small-town mayor, and injured another. Officials have attributed this horrifying event to a conflict over hunting rights.
The police named the suspect as Roland Drexler, 56, who was said to be “armed and extremely dangerous,” shared police spokesperson Ulrike Handlbauer.
Drexler was discovered dead in Upper Austria province near the Czech border following an intense search.
The fatal shootings took place in the Rohrbach district of Upper Austria, in proximity to the Czech border. Franz Hofer, the mayor of Kirchberg ob der Donau, was discovered deceased in a meadow about a third of a mile away from a federal highway in the village of Altenfelden.
Hofer, who had been serving as the town mayor since 2008 to its roughly 1,000 inhabitants, also held the position of local hunting director. The other casualty, identified as a current or former hunting authority, was found in nearby Arnreit. A third individual was injured in the assault.
The brutal act seems to be the culmination of a prolonged disagreement over hunting rights in the area. Regional media mentioned that Hofer had recently lodged a complaint against the suspect for “unhuntsmanlike behavior.”
People from the local hunting scene described Drexler as a “problematic” person.
In their efforts to locate Drexler, Austrian authorities enlisted the help of EKO Cobra, a top-tier special forces unit. Police helicopters were deployed for aerial surveillance, and locals were advised to stay indoors.
The shocking incident has left State Hunting Master Herbert Sieghartsleitner stunned, who stated, “I knew Franz Hofer very well personally. It is unbelievable what is happening right now.”
Drexler was discovered close to his vehicle, which residents had seen on Friday close to where the initial murder occurred.