Nine students have been killed by a gunman who also killed himself, after attacking a school in the Austrian city of Graz (Pragativadi)
In a tragic shooting incident that occurred in the Austrian city of Graz this morning (10 June), at least 10 people have been killed at a secondary school.
Police were alerted shortly after 10am local time, to sounds of gunshots at the BORG Dreierschützengasse school, located close to the central train station and responded immediately with the deployment of their specialist Cobra tactical unit, which handles attacks and hostage situations.
The as yet unnamed perpetrator, is understood to be a former student, with early speculation suggesting he was a 22-year-old who had previously had bullying issues at the eduction facility; although that has not been verified.
He is understood to have taken his own life in one of the building’s toilets, after being approached by armed officers.
Students and teachers are reported to have barricaded themselves in their classrooms as the gunman carried out his shocking slaughter in two adjoining rooms, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he had both a pistol and a shotgun and that one of the classrooms was where he had previously studied.
His victims are believed to have been 8 students aged between 14 and 18, plus one of their teachers. In addition it is known that at least 30 people have been taken to nearby hospitals, with 2 of them said to be in a critical condition and 5 others described as having serious injuries, which are receiving emergency surgery.
The school was evacuated with shocked students and parents gathering at the nearby ASKÖ Stadium. Police have now secured the school, with an investigation set to begin once the area has been fully searched.
Three days of mourning have been declared in Graz, which is Austria’s second largest city with around 300,000 citizens and is located about 200km from the capital Vienna.
Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker expressed horror at the shooting, writing on X: “The rampage at a school in Graz is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country. This inconceivable act suddenly tore young people from the life they still had ahead of them. There are no words for the pain and grief.”
President Alexander Van der Bellen said: “This horror cannot be captured in words; these were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued her condolences, writing: “My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends. Schools are symbols for youth, hope and the future, it is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.”
Ownership of rifles and shotguns in Austria is permitted for any European citizen over 18, although they have to register the weapons with the authorities within six weeks and are subject to a three-day cooling-off period. Handguns such as pistols, revolvers and semi-automatic firearms can only be purchased by people over 21 who hold firearms licences.
In general anyone who wants to own a weapon needs to give a reason for the purchase, which can be sports shooting or self-defence. A psychological assessment may be required, but is not compulsory.
Almost 30 firearms are estimated to be owned per one hundred citizens in Austria, which is more than double that of neighbouring Hungary and higher than most European Union countries.
The incident occurred shortly before the tenth memorial anniversary of a previous Graz attack on 20 June 2015, which left three dead when a car drove into a crowd of people.
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