September 25, 2021 - The Austrian father that killed his 3 children in the early hours of September 25 has been named Harald Kopitz. Here is what we know about him so far. 

Harald Kopitz, a 56-year-old Austrian from Vienna who lives and works in Zagreb, killed his three children at 2 am on Saturday, September 25. He is said to have strangled his 7-year-old twins and 4-year old son. He also posted a haunting message on Facebook before the crime and tried to kill himself.

A friend who saw Kopitz's farewell message on Facebook informed the police about a possible suicide attempt. When police arrived at the crime scene, they found Kopitz and his three dead children.

Kopitz was immediately transferred to KBC Sisters of Charity. He was hypothermic when he was brought to the hospital and unconscious and thus placed in an intensive care unit. A diagnostic procedure is underway to determine exactly which pills were taken and whether he has any other chronic illnesses. For now, he is stable and under intensive medical care, said the Sisters of Charity Hospital.

What we know about Harald Kopitz so far

Index.hr reports that Harald Kopitz is an experienced financial consultant who graduated from the Donau-Universität Krems and held a Master of Business Administration (MBA), has worked in some leading Austrian leasing companies, but also in management positions at Robert Bosch AG, Alcatel AG, and others. He is an Austrian citizen with a permanent Croatian address, and according to available data, he was born in 1965.

Namely, he worked for 13 years as a member of the Board of Directors and 5 years as the head of international marketing and business development in the CEE region at VB Leasing, 7 years as a manager at Robert Bosch AG, with a focus on development marketing, and for Alcatel Austria and AKG Acoustics.

Before the brutal crime, he posted on social media stating that his girlfriend had left him because his ex-wife was bad to her and that he had run out of money. He also mentions his 'brothers from the Freemasons lodge.'

"Today, September 25, at around 2 am in the center of Mlinovi, based on information about the announced suicide received from citizens due to posts on social networks, a 56-year-old man was found in the apartment who was in poor health when police officers entered.

Three children without signs of life were also found at the scene. The arrival of the ambulance confirmed the violent death of the children, while the man was transported to KBC Sisters of Charity, where he was kept for treatment. The investigation was conducted under the direction of the Deputy County State's Attorney, and a criminal investigation is underway," the Zagreb police said.

At the time of the crime, the children's mother was not in Zagreb, and the children were spending the weekend with their father.

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September 25, 2021 - An unsettling story in Croatia this morning as an Austrian father kills 3 kids in Zagreb, leaving a haunting Facebook message before committing the crime. Here is what we know so far. 

In the Zagreb settlement of Mlinovi, the police found three dead children and their father (56), who tried to kill himself at around 2 am. After being found in the apartment where he likely killed his three children - 7-year-old twins (boy and girl), and a 4-year-old boy, he tried to kill himself with poison or pills. He is now in the hospital and is stable, reports Vecernji List.

Zagreb police released a statement about the gruesome event.

"Today, September 25, at around 2 am in the center of Mlinovi, based on information about the announced suicide received from citizens due to posts on social networks, a 56-year-old man was found in the apartment who was in poor health when police officers entered.

Three children without signs of life were also found at the scene. The arrival of the ambulance confirmed the violent death of the children, while the man was transported to KBC Sisters of Charity, where he was kept for treatment. The investigation was conducted under the direction of the Deputy County State's Attorney, and a criminal investigation is underway," the Zagreb police said.

DORH also spoke about the case. "The on-duty Deputy County State's Attorney at the Zagreb County State's Attorney's Office conducted an investigation in Zagreb in the early morning hours of September 25, 2021, in cooperation with police officers, to find three dead bodies in an apartment. There is reason to suspect that he is an Austrian citizen (1965) who committed the criminal offenses of aggravated murder under Article 111 of the Criminal Code to the detriment of three minor children. The Zagreb County State's Attorney's Office, in cooperation with the police, is taking further measures and actions within its competence to determine all in a statement."

Croatian media have named him Harald Kopitz, an Austrian with a Croatian address, who lives and works in Zagreb. He worked in reputable Austrian leasing companies and had a consulting firm in Vienna. Before the brutal crime, he posted on social media stating that his girlfriend had left him because his ex-wife was bad to her and that he had run out of money. He also mentions his 'brothers from the Freemasons lodge.'

At the time of the crime, the mother of the children was not in Zagreb, and the children were spending the weekend with their father.

TCN will be updating this story as things develop. 

For more news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.