Bregenz police Cobra unit fires on 24‑year‑old during domestic threat

On Saturday afternoon in Bregenz, Austria, a 24‑year‑old man threatened his mother with a knife and later also threatened a police officer. The special police unit Cobra was deployed. After several unsuccessful de‑escalation attempts, a Cobra officer discharged his firearm, wounding the suspect and a police officer. The suspect was taken to Landeskrankenhaus Feldkirch, where his condition was described as stable, and he was placed in pre‑trial detention. The officer sustained only minor injuries. Authorities, including the Feldkirch public prosecutor’s office and the Misshandlungsvorwürfe (mistreatment complaints) unit, are investigating whether the shooting was justified as self‑defence or aid. Details such as the exact number of shots, whether the suspect possessed a real weapon, and the identity of the shooting officer remain unclear. No danger to neighbours was reported.