Manhunt underway in Austria following fatal shooting of mayor, another victim PHOTO

A manhunt is currently in progress in northern Austria following the alleged shooting of two individuals by a hunter, as confirmed by local police on October 28.

Franz Hofer, the mayor of Kirchberg ob der Donau, was fatally shot in the village of Altenfelden, situated in the rural Mühlviertel region near the borders with Germany and the Czech Republic, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

A second victim was also reported to have been killed shortly thereafter, according to Upper Austria police spokesperson Ulrike Handelbauer.

A large-scale police operation, involving helicopters and special forces, has been initiated to locate the suspect. Authorities are searching for 56-year-old Roland Drexler, who is believed to have committed the shootings and fled the scene in a Volkswagen Caddy. Police have warned that Drexler is considered "extremely dangerous and armed."

Initial investigations suggest that the violence may have stemmed from a dispute over hunting rights, though the specific reasons for the escalation of this long-standing feud remain unclear. Local reports indicate that Drexler was known among the local hunting community, with one hunter describing him as “a difficult person” while speaking on condition of anonymity.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local political community, with officials at the regional headquarters of the People's Party (ÖVP) in Linz expressing their dismay. State party leader Florian Hiegelsperger described the situation as “madness.”

Herbert Sieghartsleitner, the state hunting master, expressed his disbelief, stating, “I am deeply shocked by what has happened. I knew Franz Hofer very well personally."

By Aghakazim Guliyev