1986 Zurich shooting

Mass shooting in Switzerland October 2023 May 2025 1986 Zurich shooting Zurich, Switzerland 1986 04 16 yes Canton of Zurich#Switzerland center Zürich 47.3742 8.5401 47.3742 8.5401 type:event it Mass shooting Taurus Model .38 Special revolver 4 1 Günther Tschanun Personal conflict with employees Intentional homicide (later overturned and found guilty of murder) thumb|Tschanun's wanted poster.|268x268px|alt=Black and white wanted poster in German, with two photos of Tschanun with and without his glasses On 16 April 1986 Günther Tschanun opened fire in his workplace in Zurich, Switzerland, killing four people and seriously injuring one. The shooting came after difficulties and tensions in the building authority, where Tschanun was head. Tschanun escaped and was on the run for several weeks after the shooting, before he was caught in France. It was described by the Tages-Anzeiger as "one of the worst crimes in post-war Swiss history". Tschanun was initially sentenced to 17 years in prison in 1988 for four counts of intentional homicide. The case was sent to the supreme court, and in 1990 the sentence was overturned. Tschanun was instead sentenced to 20 years and found guilty of murder, and released on parole in 2000. He was issued a new name – Claudio Trentinaglia – which was only revealed to the public after he died in a bicycle accident in 2015. Shooting On 16 April 1986, Günther Tschanun opened fire in his workplace, the administrative building Amtshaus IV, with a Taurus Model .38 Special revolver, killing 4 and injuring 1.Binswanger Michèle 2021-04-10 Der Fall Tschanun – Teil 1 – Der verklärte Mörder The Tschanun Case - Part 1 - The Transfigured Murderer https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/guenther-tschanun-der-verklaerte-moerder-803036653970 subscription 2023-10-09 Tages-Anzeiger Zurich de-CH 1422-99942021-04-11 Vierfachmörder (†73) lebte unter falschem Namen im Tessin: Tschanun starb bei Velounfall! Quadruple murderer (†73) lived under a false name in Ticino: Tschanun died in bicycle accident! https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/zuerich/vierfachmoerder-73-lebte-unter-falschem-namen-im-tessin-tschanun-starb-bei-velounfall-id16451947.html 2023-10-09 Blick Zurich de-CH 1013-0667 Tschanun was going to kill himself, but was not able to. After the shooting, he went on the run, and a 10000 franc reward was issued for his arrest. After three weeks on the run from authorities, he was caught in France. Perpetrator Günther Tschanun (13 September 1941 – 25 February 2015) was the chief of the Zürich building authority. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland.Müller Patrik 2021-04-12 Bericht enthüllt: Vierfachmörder Günther Tschanun war Mitglied der SP – ein SVP-Journalist zieht daraus seine Schlüsse Report reveals: Quadruple murderer Günther Tschanun was a member of the SP - an SVP journalist draws his conclusions from it https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/schweiz/aufarbeitung-parteipolitik-um-vierfachmoerder-guenther-tschanun-spielt-es-eine-rolle-dass-er-sp-mitglied-war-ld.2124091 2023-08-23 Aargauer Zeitung de-CH 2504-4117 The department Tschanun worked at was experiencing difficulties and tensions in the workplace, and several days before the shooting an article that criticized his business management practices was published in the Züri-Woche de. Soon after this was published, two officials wrote a letter to their superior criticizing Tschanun and calling for his dismissal.2010-01-27 Die schlimmsten Bluttaten: Eine Chronologie von Amokläufen in der Schweiz. The worst acts of bloodshed: A chronology of rampages in Switzerland https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/amoklaeufe-am-arbeitsplatz-die-schlimmsten-bluttaten-id41586.html 2022-10-30 Blick Zurich de-CH 1013-06672006-01-22 Hinrichtung im Amtshaus Execution in the office https://www.nzz.ch/1.5571 live https://web.archive.org/web/20180110003037/https://www.nzz.ch/1.5571 2018-01-10 2024-02-29 Neue Zürcher Zeitung de-CH 0376-6829 The day before the shooting, he wrote a will, leaving the furniture to his girlfriend and everything else to his wife. Tschanun had apparently bought the gun in the first place because he was afraid of his girlfriend's husband. He claimed he had no choice and that he had felt "bullied". Aftermath Tschanun was initially sentenced to 17 years in prison in 1988 by the Zürcher Obergericht, for four counts of intentional homicide.The federal prosecutor wanted a verdict for murder, and took the case to the supreme court.2021-04-11 Mörder Günther Tschanun seit über sechs Jahren tot Murderer Günther Tschanun dead for over six years https://www.bluewin.ch/de/news/schweiz/vierfachmoerder-guenther-tschanun-seit-ueber-sechs-jahren-tot-663986.html 2023-10-09 blue News de-CH SDA In January 1990, the sentence was overturned, and Tschanun was instead sentenced to 20 years and found guilty of murder by the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland in 1990.Müller Myrte Donghi Ralph Dammann Viktor 2021-04-13 Vierfachmörder Günther Tschanun (†73) genoss als Claudio Trentinaglia das süsse Rentner-Leben im Tessin: Er liebte Merlot, Nordic Walking und sein Velo Quadruple murderer Günther Tschanun (†73) enjoyed the sweet retired life in Ticino as Claudio Trentinaglia: He loved Merlot, Nordic walking and his bicycle https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/vierfachmoerder-guenther-tschanun-73-genoss-als-claudio-trentinaglia-das-suesse-rentner-leben-im-tessin-er-liebte-merlot-nordic-walking-und-sein-velo-id16454797.html 2023-10-11 Blick Zurich de-CH 1013-0667 Some people in the left wing in Switzerland at the time were accused of downplaying Tschanun's actions, viewing him as a "victim of the capitalist system" who had been under too much pressure. Tschanun was not trusted by corrections. He was released on parole for good behavior in 2000.Dammann Viktor 2016-02-08 BLICK-Reporter Viktor Dammann erinnert sich an den Fall Tschanun: Der Mörder zeigte nur einmal Gefühle BLICK reporter Viktor Dammann remembers the Tschanun case: The killer showed emotions only once https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/blick-reporter-viktor-dammann-erinnert-sich-an-den-fall-tschanun-der-moerder-zeigte-nur-einmal-gefuehle-id4657928.html 2023-08-23 Blick Zurich de-CH 1013-0667 He was issued a new name – Claudio Trentinaglia – and moved to Ticino. Tschanun died in a bicycle accident on 25 February 2015, falling down the bank of the Maggia. As he was not wearing a helmet, he hit his head and died. His neighbors were unaware of his identity, and Tschanun was buried without this becoming public. This was only revealed six years later, when journalist Michèle Binswanger de requested his case file. The case was discussed in a book by Nicolas Lindt de in 2016.Künzi Hans-Peter 2016-02-09 Fall Tschanun: Ein Buch rollt die Bluttat nochmals auf The Tschanun case: A book revisits the bloody deed https://www.srf.ch/news/zuerich-schaffhausen-fall-tschanun-ein-buch-rollt-die-bluttat-nochmals-auf 2023-10-11 SRF Zurich de-CH The 2010 film 180° – Wenn deine Welt plötzlich Kopf steht de by director Cihan Inan de was inspired by the case.Volk Stefan 2014-04-07 Aus den Fugen geraten http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/kultur/kino/Aus--den-Fugen-geraten/story/26485122 live https://web.archive.org/web/20140407072436/http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/kultur/kino/Aus--den-Fugen-geraten/story/26485122 2014-04-07 2024-02-29 Berner Zeitung de-CH 1660-685Xhttps://www.srf.ch/play/tv/aeschbacher/video/cihan-inan?urn=urn:srf:video:9f2445f7-d809-4d9c-8da1-b755620661cd Cihan Inan 2010-09-16 Video de-CH SRF Aeschbacher 2024-02-29 A 2023 docufiction film retells the story of Tschanun's crimes from the perspective of his neighbor.2023-11-10 Günther Tschanun – the silent neighbour https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-made/guenther-tschanun-the-silent-neighbour/48857284 2024-02-29 SWI swissinfo Bern en-GB References Further reading Lindt Nicolas Von Schuld und Unschuld: Geschichten und Reportagen aus meiner Zeit als Gerichtskolumnist Edition Fischer 2016 978-3-86455-867-2 Frankfurt am Main de Of Guilt And Innocence: Stories and Reports From My Time As a Court Columnist 2016-04-10 Walter Beller (67) überlebte Günther Tschanuns Hinrichtung vor 30 Jahren "Nach dem Schock kam die Todesangst" Walter Beller (67) survived Günther Tschanun's shooting 30 years ago "After the shock came the fear of death" https://www.blick.ch/news/walter-beller-67-ueberlebte-guenther-tschanuns-hinrichtung-vor-30-jahren-nach-dem-schock-kam-die-todesangst-id4900790.html 2023-10-09 Blick Zurich de-CH 1013-0667 Gasser Benno 2016-02-10 «Tschanun war unsympathisch» "Tschanun was unsympathetic" http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/tschanun-war-unsympathisch/story/15844680 live https://web.archive.org/web/20160211091602/http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/zuerich/stadt/tschanun-war-unsympathisch/story/15844680 2016-02-11 2024-02-29 Tages-Anzeiger Zurich de-CH 1422-9994 Category:1986 in Switzerland Category:Mass shootings in Switzerland Category:1986 mass shootings in Europe Category:Mass murders in Switzerland Category:1986 mass murders Category:Workplace shootings Category:1986 murders in Europe Q1561887