The mayor of Kirchberg ob der Donau in Austria was shot dead on Monday morning.
Franz Hofer, 64, was shot by a man known to be a hunter, reports RTL. The suspect went on the run, is still at large and is considered highly dangerous by the local authorities.
Police and emergency crews rushed to the scene, with Austria's special anti-terrorist unit, Cobra, actively involved in the search efforts.
The incident also resulted in a second fatality. He was a hunter.
Local residents were urged to stay indoors.
The motive for what happened has not yet been determined, but the Austrian newspaper Kurier reported that the mayor, who is also the head of a hunting association, had recently filed a complaint against the suspect for “ungame-like behavior”.
People familiar with the local hunting scene also report that the suspect was “problematic”.
