Karl Kerschbaum

Karl Kerschbaum (born May 1, 1953 in Vienna ; † September 5, 1984 ibid) was an Austrian security guard at the Vienna Federal Police Directorate who was violently killed while on duty.

Karl Kerschbaum had been with the police since 1977 and was commended eleven times during his service. Because of his experience, he was one of a select group of officials who were equipped with the new Glock 17 service pistol for testing purposes. He was married at the time of his death and had two daughters, aged 10 years and 15 months respectively.

On Wednesday, September 5, 1984, Karl Kerschbaum and his 25-year-old colleague were called to what appeared to be a routine assignment. The waitress in a snack bar in the Favoritner Quellenstrasse had called the police and spoke of a rioter. The suspect sat at the first bar stool next to the front door and stated that he was not armed. When the officers tried to search him, he was able to tear himself away and run into the street, but was overtaken by the two officers.

When trying to overpower the fugitive, he suddenly pulled out a Belgian army pistol, fired a shot and threatened the officers. Kerschbaum then also drew his service weapon, whereupon the perpetrator opened fire on the officers and ran away. Kerschbaum was shot through the hip and shot through the heart, but was able to return fire while he collapsed and hit the perpetrator in the left upper arm. He was then overpowered and disarmed by Kerschbaum's colleagues without firing any further shot. The perpetrator was later convicted of deliberately serious bodily harm resulting in death, resistance to state authority and illicit possession of weapons.

In 2003, a street behind the police station on Favoritenstrasse was renamed Kerschbaumgasse in memory of Kerschbaum .

Web links

• In memory of ..., bmi.gv.at (PDF file; 308 kB)
• District inspector Karl Kerschbaum, odmp.info

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Should police murder cover up a crime? In: Arbeiter-Zeitung . Vienna September 7, 1984, p. 7 ( berufer-zeitung.at - the open online archive - digitized).