Austrian school shooter was 21-year-old former pupil, authorities say

Yahoo

2 days ago

The gunman who killed nine people at a secondary school in the Austrian city of Graz on Tuesday before taking his own life was a 21-year-old former pupil, Austrian authorities said.
The man used a long gun and a handgun, law enforcement officials said at a press conference, adding that they are still investigating the motive. Both firearms were legally owned.
Of the nine victims, six were female and three male, according to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. Twelve people were injured, he said, some of them seriously.
The minister said the perpetrator never graduated and that his motive was still being investigated. After carrying out the rampage, he died by suicide in a bathroom at the school.
Chancellor Christian Stocker was on his way to the scene in Austria's second-largest city along with top officials as condolences and messages of support poured in from national and European leaders.
"This horror cannot be put into words," President Alexander Van der Bellen wrote on X. "Austria is in mourning."
Shots fired on Tuesday morning
Police said the shots were fired at an upper secondary school around 10 am (0800 GMT), with special units quickly responding to the scene. Students at such schools are typically 14 years and older.
The building was evacuated, with students and teachers escorted to a safe meeting place, and some 300 police officers were deployed.
Parents and uninjured students were taken to nearby buildings and cared for by crisis intervention teams, the city said.
Police wrote later on X there was "no further danger" and that the "situation is secure."
A spokesman for the local Red Cross said more than 160 rescue workers were sent to the scene.
Several rescue helicopters were also in operation, while a special emergency protocol was activated to ensure medical care for numerous injured individuals.
European leaders 'horrified' by shooting
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in German on X: "The news from Graz hits home. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and friends."
"Schools are symbols of youth, hope, and the future," she added. "It is difficult to bear when schools become places of death and violence."
European Council President António Costa said he was "horrified by the news of the school shooting in Graz."
"A senseless act of violence in a place where children should feel safe and protected," he wrote on X.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz also extended their condolences over the deadly shooting.
"It was with great dismay and deep sadness that I learnt of the act of violence in Graz, in which so many innocent people lost their lives," Steinmeier wrote to his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen.
"Your German neighbours are with you in their hearts," Steinmeier said.
Merz sent a message to Chancellor Stocker, saying he was "deeply shocked that young people were torn from their lives so abruptly."
Three days of mourning to be announced
Austria will observe three days of national mourning following the deadly shooting. A minute's silence will be observed across the country on Wednesday.
Flags at the presidential office, the chancellery, and other official buildings are to be flown at half-mast during the mourning period.
Graz, in south-eastern Austria, is home to around 300,000 people.