A school shooting in Graz, a city in Austria, is being called the deadliest shooting in the country’s recent history.
The shooting happened at Dreierschützengasse secondary school in the north-west of the city. Initially, it was reported that six females and three males were killed in the attack, and 12 others were injured. Later, one of the seriously injured died in the hospital raising the death toll to 10. Seven of those who lost their lives were students.
The gunman was a 21-year-old former student of the school who took his own life in the school bathroom after the shooting.
The gunman, a resident of Graz, is still unnamed, but did not graduate from the school and his motive is still under investigation. He used two guns, a pistol and a shotgun, during the attack, for which he was licensed.
Austria has declared three days of mourning and a national moment of silence will take place on Wednesday morning in memory of the victims. Flags will fly at half mast on the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, where President Alexander Van der Bellen’s office is located. The Education Minister also said that the school will remain closed for now.
“A school is more than just a place to learn – it is a space for trust, for feeling comfortable and for having a future,” he told the conference, adding this safe place had been “violated”. In these difficult hours, being human is our strongest point,” said Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker.
Police, including a tactical team that handles hostage situations and mass shootings, were called in around 10:00 and students and faculty were evacuated. Law enforcement secured the building so that no public threat would be posed.
Local journalist Fanny Gasser spoke to the BBC and explained that although Graz is one of the biggest cities in Austria, it’s small enough for everyone to each other. Thus, the school was probably unprepared for the shooting.
“We are not living in America, we are living in Austria, which seems like a very safe space,” she said.
Tuesday afternoon, long lines formed to donate blood to the victims.
“Today is a hard day for all of us in Graz. I’m hear to [donate] my blood to help other people who need it,” Stephanie Koenig, a 25-year-old citizen, told Reuters.
European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas posted on social media platform X that, “Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence.”
