Austria school shooting death toll rises to 10

A former pupil opened fire at a school in the Austrian city of Graz, killing 10 people and then taking his own life in what authorities say is the country’s deadliest mass shooting in recent history.

The attacker, a 21-year-old man who once attended the Dreierschützengasse secondary school, used a pistol and shotgun in the rampage before turning one of the weapons on himself in a school bathroom, police said.

Nine people — six females and three males — were initially reported dead. A tenth victim, a woman who was critically injured, died in hospital later on Tuesday. At least 12 others were wounded, some seriously.

Police said the suspect had no criminal record and legally owned the firearms. His motive is still under investigation.

Authorities have declared three days of mourning. A nationwide minute of silence will be held on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. local time in memory of the victims.

Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker called it a “national tragedy” and said the attack “strikes our country right at its heart.”

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