Former Austrian international Volkan Kahraman has been shot dead in a city street murder-suicide.
Kahraman won three caps for Unsere Burschen during a career which include spells in Turkey and Greece, as well as his homeland. He helped hometown club Austria Vienna win a league and cup double, as well as featuring for Dutch teams Feyenoord and Execelsior.
After retiring as a player in 2009, he went into management before later going into local politics. But it has now been reported that Kahraman was tragically shot dead on Wednesday outside a bar in the Austrian capital of Vienna following an argument with a former business associate.
The apparent killer then turned the gun on himself. Austrian police have now opened an investigation into the incident, with a spokesman Daniel Furst saying: "We were called to the scene at around 11.40am, but every attempt at resuscitation proved fruitless."
Former club Austria Vienna paid tribute to the 43-year-old and are now mourning his loss.
"Volkan Kahraman died today, Wednesday, at the age of just 43. The former midfielder played for Austria's youth team for many years before moving to the Netherlands in 1995," a club statement read.
"After further stints in Turkey, Kahraman returned to Vienna favorites in the winter of 2003, played eight competitive games the following spring and won the double with the violets. Most recently, the three-time Austrian national player was engaged as a coach and sporting director in the lower house of Vienna.
"Austria Wien wishes the bereaved, especially his family and close friends, a lot of strength. Rest in peace Volkan."
Excelsior have also admitted their sadness at Kahraman's death, with the former midfielder having spent two years on loan at the Dutch side form 1998.
"We received the sad news that our former player Volkan Kahraman was killed in a crime in Vienna. The 43-year-old Austrian played for our club from 1998 to 2000 and came to 63 official matches, in which he scored five times," a club statement read.
"The Vienna-born midfielder moved from the youth of Austria Wien to Feyenoord in 1995. There he made his debut in the first team in 1997, but was then loaned out to Excelsior. Kahraman left Kralingen after two seasons."
"He played for various clubs and wore the shirt of the Austrian national team three times. We wish the relatives a lot of strength with this loss."
