At 3.30am in Vienna, there are still helicopters circling overhead, readers have told me. Because it was the last night before Vienna’s lockdown came into effect, many people were taking the opportunity to go out for one last time. While some who were in the city have finally made it home, others are spending the night in the places they were at when the attacks began. I have heard from the friends of lawyers sleeping at their offices, from attendees at a barre class that ended shortly after 8pm who are sleeping in the studio and from Markus Husa, who was at a restaurant nearby. He says that he started to receive text messages at 9pm and that “at that time the first people were leaving the restaurant we were at, unaware of the situation.” His group informed the restaurant staff, who locked the doors and told people to stay inside. “As I understand now, one site of shootings was a mere 100 meters from our location. It was difficult to get home as public transport didn’t stop anywhere near the first district, it was impossible to get a taxi and the city was to be avoided. Fortunately, a friend picked us up by car,” he says. He says that friends of his were held in cinemas and theatres and have just arrived home. We didn’t experience any first hand threat nor police in particular. Friends of mine were held for considerable stretches of time at theatres and cinemas, venues were evacuated by police, many of us just got home in past hour or so. The Vienna Police have announced that its “investigations regarding the assault will go on highest level” and that all available resources will be used to maintain public security in the city. Here is the message in German for our Austrian readers: Here is more from Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister, who told London’s LBC radio he was living in the compound of the central Vienna synagogue. “Upon hearing shots, we looked down (from) the windows and saw the gunmen shooting at the guests of the various bars and pubs,” he said. “The gunmen were running around and shooting at least 100 rounds or even more in front of our building,” he said. A reminder that you can get in touch with me directly via email on helen.sullivan@theguardian.com or Twitter @helenrsullivan. A sincere thank you to those who have written to us already. We hope to have more updates from people who are currently in Vienna throughout the night. Vienna Mayor: 15 hospitalised, seven with serious injuries Vienna Mayor Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig says that 15 people have been hospitalised, seven with serious injuries. As far as we understand, two civilians have died in the attacks. In case you are just joining us: Police said that several shots were fired shortly after 8pm on Monday. (1900 GMT) on a lively street in the city centre in Vienna, and that there were six shooting locations. Unverified footage posted on social media showed gunmen walking through the streets, apparently shooting at people at random, wounding several people. The attack occurred on the last night before a new coronavirus lockdown was due to come into force in the city. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer told public broadcaster ORF that the army had been asked to guard key locations in the city to allow police to pursue the gunmen. Kurz praised police for killing one of the attackers and vowed: “We will not never allow ourselves to be intimidated by terrorism and will fight these attacks with all means.” The terror attacks in Vienna have been widely condemned by international leaders. Here is what some of them have had to say: In recent years, Austria has been spared the sort of large-scale attacks seen in Paris, Berlin and London. In August, authorities arrested a 31-year-old Syrian refugee suspected of trying to attack a Jewish community leader in the country’s second city Graz, Reuters reports. The leader was unhurt. We have some more information from Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig about the second victim. Ludwig told the broadcaster ORF that a woman wounded in an attack in central Vienna on Monday night has died of her injuries. Her death brings the civilian toll to two. It is understood that at least one attacker has also died. A reader named Lea R has written to us from Vienna’s second district, Leopoldstadt. “I’m living in Karmeliterviertel, one of the largest Jewish communities (I myself am not Jewish). I am 22 and normally I’m every evening at Schwedenplatz/ Bermudadreieck and Donaukanal, being in one of the many Bars there ,” she writes. “The Situation right now is really scary, my phone is ringing all the time because everyone is so worried. It’s heartbreaking to see my beloved hometown [like this].” She says that the law firm where she works has told employees to work from home tomorrow. Her ex-boyfriend works for WEGA, the police special forces (Wiener Einsatzgruppe Alarmabteilung) and, she says, “Currently I am worrying a lot about his well-being, as he is actively looking for the terrorists.” A friend of hers is spending the night sleeping in her office. There is the “constant noise” of helicopters overhead, says Lea. She signs off: Greetings from Vienna, an undestructable city. We will rise stronger than ever! There is no place here for terrorism, neither left, right or from a religious point of view. There is a reason why everyone is saying “Wien ist anders [Vienna is different, a common slogan in the city]”. Second civilian has died The Mayor of Vienna, Michael Ludwig, has announced that a second civilian has died in the attacks tonight, Reuters reports. The head of the United Nations, António Guterres, has voiced expressed the UN’s “solidarity with the people & government of Austria.” In a statement posted online his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, wrote: The Secretary-General is following with utmost concern the still evolving situation in Vienna’s city centre where violent attacks in several places have been reported today, with at least one bystander killed and several others wounded, including members of the security forces. He extends his deep condolences to the family of the victim and wishes those injured a speedy recovery. The Secretary-General strongly condemns these attacks and reaffirms the solidarity of the United Nations with the people and the Government of Austria. The Vienna police have again urged people to stay at home, confirming that the incident is “still active” in a post retweeted from two hours ago. The Guardian understands that “several” people have died in the attacks tonight – this is what was said in the police press conference a short while ago by the interior minister, Karl Nehammer. Authorities have not yet confirmed an exact number, but they have confirmed that among the casualties are one civilian and one attacker. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sent his condolences, calling the attack “horrific and heartbreaking.” “We condemn in the strongest terms possible this act of terrorism,” he wrote on Twitter.