Gunman kills nine in Austrian school shooting in Graz

A shooting at a secondary school in Graz has left at least nine people dead and several injured, in what officials are calling a national tragedy and Austria’s worst school shooting in modern history.

At least nine people were killed and several others injured on Tuesday in a school shooting at a secondary school in the southern Austrian city of Graz, police confirmed. The suspected gunman, believed to have acted alone, was also found dead.

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims or the attacker but stated that investigations are ongoing. The 21-year old sole suspect in a school shooting in the Austrian city of Graz was a pupil at the school but did not graduate, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said in a new conference on Tuesday.

The Kronen Zeitung newspaper said the gunman’s body was discovered in a school bathroom.

Police responded to the incident around 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) following reports of gunfire. The school was evacuated, and the area secured. Emergency responders provided support to survivors and relatives of the victims.

"The rampage at a school in Graz is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country," said Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. "There are no words for the pain and grief that we all— all of Austria—are feeling right now."

Extremism analyst Julia Ebner described the event as Austria’s most severe school shooting in post-war history, noting that such attacks are rare in the country.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, expressed solidarity with Austria, stating on social media: "Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Austrian people in this dark moment."

Austria has relatively high civilian firearm ownership compared to other European nations, with approximately 30 firearms per 100 people, according to the Small Arms Survey. While automatic weapons and pump-action guns are prohibited, revolvers, pistols, and semi-automatic firearms require authorisation, and rifles or shotguns are permitted under specific licences.

Though gun violence in schools is uncommon in Austria, the country has experienced other deadly shootings. In 2020, a jihadist attack in Vienna killed four people and injured 22 others. In 1997, a mass shooting in the town of Mauterndorf left six people dead.

Copied