Austria School Shooting Leaves 10 Dead in Graz
Synopsis
A former student opened fire at his old school in Graz, Austria, killing 10 people and injuring 12 others in what authorities are calling the country’s deadliest gun attack in recent history. The 21-year-old…
A former student opened fire at his old school in Graz, Austria, killing 10 people and injuring 12 others in what authorities are calling the country’s deadliest gun attack in recent history. The 21-year-old gunman took his own life as well in a school bathroom after the assault.
Former Student Returns to School With Deadly Intent
The shooting occurred at Dreiershutzengasse secondary school in Austria’s second-largest city. Police confirmed that the attacker was a former student who never graduated from the school. He legally owned the two weapons used in the attack, a pistol and a shotgun, and held a valid firearms license.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said six females and three males died in the initial attack, with another female victim dying later in the hospital. Seven of the victims were students, according to local media reports. The gunman’s motive remains under investigation, though police confirmed he was not previously known to them.
The attack started somewhere around 10 AM local time when gunshots were heard inside the school. A specialized unit responded immediately, evacuating all students and teachers from the premises. Witnesses living nearby reported hearing 30-40 shots fired repeatedly in succession.
Nation Declares Three Days of Mourning
Austrain chancellor Christian Stocker declared the shooting a “national tragedy” and announced three days of official mourning. A nationwide minute of silence will be observed on Wednesday to honor the victims. “ A school is more than just a place to learn, it is a space for trust, for feeling comfortable and for having a future,” Stocker said during a press conference. He also added, “This safe place had been violated.”
The attacked school will remain closed indefinitely, while flags at the presidential palace in Vienna fly at half-mast. President Alexander Van der Ballen’s office confirmed the gesture as a mark of respect for those killed in this incident.
Community Rallies to Support Victims
Long queues are forming outside blood donation centers across Graz as residents find ways to help. Local journalist Fanny Gasset described the tight-knit community’s shock, noting that everybody knows somebody at the affected school. She emphasized that such violent incidents feel particularly jarring in Austria, which residents thought was a safe place.
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