Man gets suspended sentence for school festival bloodbath threats

A 45-year-old man from the Seewinkel was sentenced on Friday to 10 months in prison, suspended for three years, after threatening to cause a “bloodbath” at a primary school festival and threatening police officers, ORF reported.

The incident took place in early July 2026, when problems involving the youth welfare office and his child’s school were weighing on the man. He said he had drunk three small beers that day, but added that he became intoxicated after just one beer because of his health problems.

After he jokingly told the mayor that he would place the school principal’s car on a roof, the mayor apparently called the police out of concern. The man did not hear officers ringing his doorbell and was later contacted by phone. He then threatened to cause a “bloodbath” at the school festival and told emergency responders to shoot him, although he said he could not remember those exact words.

According to the indictment, he also threatened the officers with gunfire and said at the police station that he would blow up the entire village. He apologised to the court but said he had not apologised to the officers because of his “panic fear of the police and blue lights”. He said he had been seeing a psychologist for three weeks and had also sought counselling.

The man had no previous convictions. The court convicted him of dangerous threats and an offence against state authority. The judge ordered him to undergo or continue psychotherapy and to pay 300 euros in court costs. The verdict is final.