Hungarian Mayor Orbán shot in the head at kindergarten building as children were being rescued through windows – video

A man has broken into the mayor’s office—housed in the same building as a local kindergarten—and shot Sándor Orbán, the mayor of the small Hungarian town of Pápa, multiple times with a gas pistol.

Mayor Orbán shot in the head and chest

According to the local outlet Infópápa, the attacker fired three shots, two of which struck the mayor. The gravely injured official was airlifted to hospital in Győr by ambulance helicopter. One round reportedly hit him in the head, though his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening; he was even able to leave his office unaided.

Eyewitnesses told reporters that police swiftly arrested the gunman after he was restrained by a member of the mayor’s staff.

Locals described the suspect as an elderly newcomer to the town, in his seventies, who had arrived a few years ago. Residents told Infópápa that he suffered from mental health issues, regaling them with outlandish tales that pointed to a deep-seated persecution complex.

The man had reportedly pleaded with the mayor for financial help, which was refused—prompting him to produce the weapon.

Police have promised further details in due course.

Péter Magyar: all details should be revealed about the attack

Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, highlighted the shocking proximity of the mayor’s office to the kindergarten, where some 20 children were present. “Thankfully, they only heard the shots and were left badly shaken,” he wrote, crediting teachers with evacuating the youngsters through a window.

Mr Magyar, citing his local candidate Szilvia Ujvári—who had met the mayor just two days earlier for a “fruitful” discussion on the town’s future—said the second bullet struck Mr Orbán in the chest.

He has called on Interior Minister Sándor Pintér to disclose full details of the attack and take steps to reassure Hungarians amid fears of a broader plot.

Here’s how police arrested the perpetrator:

If you missed our previous crime-related news:

• Man steals car with 5-year-old still inside near Budapest: child abandoned kilometres away –⁠ video
• Hungary’s newest crime map: The most dangerous towns and safest counties revealed

Featured image: illustration. Source: depositphotos.com