Austria has been plunged into mourning following the country’s deadliest school shooting in modern history. A 21-year-old stormed into a secondary school in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, on Tuesday morning, fatally shooting 10 people before turning the gun on himself.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed the tragic toll, stating that six of the victims were female and three were male. A 10th victim, critically injured in the attack, was later confirmed dead by Graz Hospital. At least 12 others sustained injuries, many of them students, though officials have yet to release full details about their conditions.
The attacker, whose identity has not yet been publicly released, was discovered dead in a school bathroom. He reportedly entered the school alone around 10 a.m. armed with two firearms—a pistol and a shotgun—before opening fire in multiple classrooms. Local media reports, including Salzburger Nachrichten, suggest that one of the classrooms was one he had once attended. The same report indicates he may have been a victim of bullying during his time at the school.
Chancellor Christian Stocker called the tragedy “a dark day in the history of our country,” speaking during a press conference in Graz where he stood alongside top officials including Minister Karner. “There are no words for the pain and grief that we all – all of Austria – are feeling right now,” Stocker said. The government has declared three days of national mourning, with a minute’s silence observed at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
More than 300 police officers responded swiftly after reports of gunfire were made. Emergency services and ambulances arrived at the scene within minutes, while the school was cordoned off.
Austrian newspaper Kronen-Zeitung reported that a farewell note was discovered at the shooter’s home, though its contents have not been made public. Police continue to investigate a motive, and while early reports suggest the gunman acted alone, the full circumstances remain unclear.
Extremism expert Julia Ebner, from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, noted that the attack marks the deadliest school shooting in Austria’s post-war history. Austria has one of the most heavily armed civilian populations in Europe—an estimated 30 firearms per 100 residents, according to the Small Arms Survey.
The tragedy has drawn shock and sympathy from around the world, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz among the foreign leaders expressing condolences.
This devastating incident follows other rare but deadly attacks in Austria, including a 2020 jihadist shooting in Vienna that killed four people, and a 1997 mass shooting in Mauterndorf where six were killed by a lone gunman.
As investigations continue, Austria is left grappling with the aftermath of a tragedy that has shaken its schools, citizens, and sense of safety to the core.
Melissa Enoch
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