2013 Menznau shooting explained

2013 Menznau shooting
Location:Menznau, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland
Target:Staff from the Kronospan wood-processing plant
Time:09:00 CET
Type:Mass shooting
Fatalities:5 (including the perpetrator)[1]
Injuries:5
Perp:Viktor Berisha
Weapons:Sphinx model AT380 sub-compact pistol

On 27 February 2013, a gunman opened fire at the Kronospan wood-processing plant in the Swiss town of Menznau, killing four people. Five others were wounded, two critically. The gunman died during a struggle where another worker defended himself by throwing a chair at the gunman, then grabbed with both arms the gunman, during the struggle the gunman shot himself, although it was unsure if this was intentional or unintentional.

Shooting

The shooting, which took place at approximately 09:00 CET (08:00 UTC), occurred in the canteen area of the Kronospan wood-processing plant in the Swiss town of Menznau. Four were killed and five were wounded, two critically. The wounded were flown to two area hospitals for treatment.[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] Among the victims was Benno Studer (born 29 December 1986), a successful Swiss Wrestler active in competitions since 2007, with notable victories in 2010 and 2011.[7]

The gunman died during a struggle where another worker defended himself by throwing a chair at the gunman, then grabbed with both arms the gunman, during the struggle the gunman shot himself, although it was not possible to determine whether intentionally or accidentally.[8] [9]

The gunman was identified as Viktor Berisha[10] (in Swiss media mostly anonymized as "Viktor B."), aged 42, a Kosovar Albanian who had received asylum in Switzerland in 1991, and who had been convicted of robbery and sentenced to prison in 1998. At some point after 2003, he was naturalized as a Swiss citizen. The weapon used by the perpetrator was a Sphinx Systems model AT380 sub-compact pistol, legally owned by Berisha's brother. Berisha was married and had three children.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

The shooting resulted in a debate over Switzerland's gun laws.[16] [17]

Victims

Notes and References

  1. News: . Four dead in Swiss gun attack . en . 2013-02-27 . 2013-03-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130302114639/https://www.euronews.com/2013/02/27/three-dead-in-swiss-gun-attack . 2013-03-02.
  2. News: 2013-02-27 . Three dead in Swiss factory shooting . en-GB . . 2013-02-27.
  3. News: Smith-Spark . Laura . Morgenstein . Mark . 2013-02-27 . Police: 3 dead, several wounded in Switzerland factory shooting . en-US . . 2013-02-27.
  4. News: Thomasson . Emma . 2013-02-27 . Several killed in shooting at Swiss factory . en . . Williams . Allison . 2013-02-27.
  5. News: Rüegger . Roger . 2023-02-25 . «Die wichtigste Botschaft war: Ihr seid nicht allein» . subscription . 2023-12-10 . . de-CH.
  6. News: Schüsse im Schweizer Menznau: Ein Jahr nach dem Amoklauf . de-DE . . 2023-12-10 . 1865-2263.
  7. News: 2013-02-27 . Schock für die Schwingerfamilie - Benno Studer ist gestorben . de-CH . Shock for the wrestling family - Benno Studer has died . Schlussgang . dead . 2013-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304081344/https://www.schlussgang.ch/artikel/berichte/schock-fuer-die-schwingerfamilie-benno-studer-ist-gestorben . 2016-03-04.
  8. News: 2013-03-21 . So lief der Amoklauf von Menznau ab . de-CH . This is how the Menznau rampage happened . . 2018-11-26.
  9. News: Smith-Spark . Laura . Morgenstein . Mark . 2013-02-27 . Police: 4th person dead in Switzerland factory shooting . en-US . . 2023-07-22.
  10. News: Rising . David . Qena . Nebi . 2013-02-28 . Death toll in Swiss shooting rises to 4 . en-US . . 2023-12-03.
  11. News: 2013-02-28 . Polizei bestätigt: Vierte Person gestorben . de-CH . Police confirmed: Fourth person died . . dead . 2013-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130303003720/https://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/zentralschweiz/polizei-bestaetigt-vierte-person-gestorben-id2220197.html . 2013-03-03.
  12. News: 2013-03-02 . Amoklauf fordert viertes Todesopfer – Viktor B. verwendete keine Armeewaffe . de-CH . Spree killing claims fourth victim - Viktor B. did not use an army weapon . . dead . 2013-03-02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040606/http://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/blaulicht/amoklauf-fordert-viertes-todesopfer-viktor-b-verwendete-keine-armeewaffe-126135398 . 2016-03-04.
  13. News: 2013-03-01 . Festnahme nach Amoklauf von Menznau – Täter hinterlässt Frau und drei Kinder . de-CH . Arrest after Menznau rampage - Perpetrator leaves behind wife and three children . . . 2013-03-02.
  14. News: 2014-02-21 . Kronospan-Mitarbeiter haben Täter nicht getötet . 2023-12-10 . . de-CH.
  15. News: 2014-06-17 . Menznau - Amoklauf von Menznau: Todesschütze Viktor B. litt unter Verfolgungswahn . 2023-12-10 . . de-CH.
  16. News: Curtis . Malcolm . 2013-02-27 . Menznau shooting spree renews gun law debate . en . . 2023-12-10.
  17. News: Bachmann . Helena . 2013-03-04 . Why Two Mass Shootings Will Not Change Swiss Gun Culture . en-US . . 2023-12-10 . 0040-781X.
  18. News: 2013-04-05 . Death toll from Swiss Menznau shooting rises to five . en-GB . . . 2013-04-05.

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