At least 18 women were sexually assaulted by “a larger group of people” during the New Year’s celebration in central Innsbruck, chief investigator, Ernst Kranebitter confirmed to the newspaper.
“The attackers are between 20 and 41 years old,” Kranebitter said, adding that descriptions of the alleged perpetrators differ greatly.
According information obtained by police, the suspected assailants might be of “Asian” origin, while earlier media reports citing police said that people of “north African” appearance cannot be excluded.
Police obtained several photos and are showing them at “foreigners’ accommodations,” the chief investigator said. Police have also asked for any available video or photo evidence of the incident to be sent to the authorities.
Special police unit to search Austrian refugee camps for Innsbruck sexual attackers
A special Austrian police unit has been established to help track the young men suspected of sexual assaults on women in Innsbruck’s main square during the New Year celebrations.
The unit has been tasked with searching all shelters holding asylum seekers in Innsbruck and nearby areas in the Tyrol state in western Austria to locate the offenders, Euronews reported on Friday citing Innsbruck police commander, Martin Kirchler.
The officers will also collect and analyze video footage of the incidents, the official said, adding that while the police already have some amateur video of the attacks, they have appealed to the…