What we know about the gunman who killed 10 in Austria school shooting
Austria is observing three days of national mourning for 10 people killed after a gunman attacked a high school in the southern city of Graz.
The incident in Austria's second-largest city of some 300,000 was the deadliest mass shooting in the Alpine country's recent history.
Police are investigating why the gunman, identified by authorities as a former student at the school who failed to graduate, may have carried out the attack.
The perpetrator, identified by Austrian media as "Artur A", had no prior criminal record. He reportedly took his own life in the school bathroom after carrying out the attack.
During a search of the alleged perpetrator's house, the police found plans for an explosive attack as well as a non-functioning pipe bomb.
They also found a digital and handwritten suicide note addressed to the perpetrator's parents.
"No motive can be taken from the farewell letter so far," Director of Public Security Franz Ruf told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday evening. Local media speculated that years of bullying may have been a possible motive for the massacre.
By Wednesday morning, the authority that runs hospitals in Graz said that all patients were in stable condition.
Nine were still in intensive care units, with one needing a further operation on a facial wound and a second on a knee injury, while another two had been moved to regular wards.
Local media report that the 21-year-old lived with his mother. A neighbour told OE24 that 'he was completely introverted.'
The suspected gunman was in possession of two firearms which were seized by police after the attack.
He had legally acquired both weapons and had reportedly passed the psychological evaluation required in Austria to obtain a so-called 'Category B' firearm possession card.
In Austria, weapons are traditionally carried for hunting rather than for self-defence. Some weapons, such as rifles and shotguns, can be purchased from the age of 18 without a permit.
Other weapons, such as repeating shotguns or semi-automatic firearms, are more difficult to acquire — buyers need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass.
The rare shooting, which has led to an outpouring of grief and shock in Austria, is likely to prompt a domestic debate over whether arms should be restricted, which has more liberal gun laws and high private gun ownership relative to the rest of Europe.
The mayor of the city of Graz, Elke Kahr, has already called for a complete ban on private weapons. Gun licenses are "issued too quickly," she said in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The case would be examined and gaps would be closed, Ruf said. The perpetrator was not allowed to carry the weapons outside of his home, he added.
Local media speculated that the school was unprepared for an attack of this scale, given that school shootings are rare in Austria. Director of Public Security Franz Ruf stated that investigations will be launched to explore how schools can better implement preventive and protective measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the tragedy "incomprehensible".
"Schools must remain places of peace – places where children can grow and learn," he said.
The government added that numerous crisis intervention teams have been set up to support the victims and their families, including a hotline for those affected.
"The school must be a safe place for everyone, where students can develop. Everyone who needs help after today's crime should get help," Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said.
Martin Jäger, Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, is set to become the new head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), German media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.
Jäger will replace Bruno Kahl as Germany's spy chief, with Kahl set to take up the ambassadorship to the Vatican.
The German government has yet to officially confirm the change.
Jäger is considered an experienced crisis diplomat due to his role as German ambassador to Ukraine, a post he has filled since 2023, the year after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country.
He previously served as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan.
In Germany, Jäger, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, worked as a spokesperson for the finance ministry, then headed by Wolfgang Schäuble.
He also worked as state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior.
The Federal Intelligence Service is subordinate to the chancellery and therefore under Friedrich Merz, who is authorised to appoint the president.
The BND is tasked with collecting and evaluating information of foreign and security policy significance and supplying the federal government with reports and analyses.
The BND is one of the few government agencies authorised to use intelligence services such as espionage.
According to German outlets, the German government is planning a fundamental reorganisation of the intelligence service and wants to provide the BND with more funding.
The BND is also to be given more flexibility in terms of spying abroad and technical reconnaissance, according to the domestic press.
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Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
What we know about the gunman who killed 10 in Austria school shooting
Austria is observing three days of national mourning for 10 people killed after a gunman attacked a high school in the southern city of Graz. The incident in Austria's second-largest city of some 300,000 was the deadliest mass shooting in the Alpine country's recent history. Police are investigating why the gunman, identified by authorities as a former student at the school who failed to graduate, may have carried out the attack. The perpetrator, identified by Austrian media as "Artur A", had no prior criminal record. He reportedly took his own life in the school bathroom after carrying out the attack. During a search of the alleged perpetrator's house, the police found plans for an explosive attack as well as a non-functioning pipe bomb. They also found a digital and handwritten suicide note addressed to the perpetrator's parents. "No motive can be taken from the farewell letter so far," Director of Public Security Franz Ruf told public broadcaster ORF on Tuesday evening. Local media speculated that years of bullying may have been a possible motive for the massacre. By Wednesday morning, the authority that runs hospitals in Graz said that all patients were in stable condition. Nine were still in intensive care units, with one needing a further operation on a facial wound and a second on a knee injury, while another two had been moved to regular wards. Local media report that the 21-year-old lived with his mother. A neighbour told OE24 that 'he was completely introverted.' The suspected gunman was in possession of two firearms which were seized by police after the attack. He had legally acquired both weapons and had reportedly passed the psychological evaluation required in Austria to obtain a so-called 'Category B' firearm possession card. In Austria, weapons are traditionally carried for hunting rather than for self-defence. Some weapons, such as rifles and shotguns, can be purchased from the age of 18 without a permit. Other weapons, such as repeating shotguns or semi-automatic firearms, are more difficult to acquire — buyers need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass. The rare shooting, which has led to an outpouring of grief and shock in Austria, is likely to prompt a domestic debate over whether arms should be restricted, which has more liberal gun laws and high private gun ownership relative to the rest of Europe. The mayor of the city of Graz, Elke Kahr, has already called for a complete ban on private weapons. Gun licenses are "issued too quickly," she said in the aftermath of the tragedy. The case would be examined and gaps would be closed, Ruf said. The perpetrator was not allowed to carry the weapons outside of his home, he added. Local media speculated that the school was unprepared for an attack of this scale, given that school shootings are rare in Austria. Director of Public Security Franz Ruf stated that investigations will be launched to explore how schools can better implement preventive and protective measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the tragedy "incomprehensible". "Schools must remain places of peace – places where children can grow and learn," he said. The government added that numerous crisis intervention teams have been set up to support the victims and their families, including a hotline for those affected. "The school must be a safe place for everyone, where students can develop. Everyone who needs help after today's crime should get help," Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said. Martin Jäger, Germany's ambassador to Ukraine, is set to become the new head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), German media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources. Jäger will replace Bruno Kahl as Germany's spy chief, with Kahl set to take up the ambassadorship to the Vatican. The German government has yet to officially confirm the change. Jäger is considered an experienced crisis diplomat due to his role as German ambassador to Ukraine, a post he has filled since 2023, the year after Russia's full-scale invasion of the country. He previously served as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan. In Germany, Jäger, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, worked as a spokesperson for the finance ministry, then headed by Wolfgang Schäuble. He also worked as state secretary in the Ministry of the Interior. The Federal Intelligence Service is subordinate to the chancellery and therefore under Friedrich Merz, who is authorised to appoint the president. The BND is tasked with collecting and evaluating information of foreign and security policy significance and supplying the federal government with reports and analyses. The BND is one of the few government agencies authorised to use intelligence services such as espionage. According to German outlets, the German government is planning a fundamental reorganisation of the intelligence service and wants to provide the BND with more funding. The BND is also to be given more flexibility in terms of spying abroad and technical reconnaissance, according to the domestic press.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Accused of 'terrorism' at 15 years old: The tragic story of Rhianan Rudd
Austrian papers are in mourning after the attack on a school in Graz that left 10 people dead and many wounded. Kurier reports that Austria is in tears, after the nation's deadliest post-war mass shooting. "Amoklauf", German for a run of lunacy or a killing spree, is a term that's used in a lot of the coverage. The Salzgeber Nachrichten is also in mourning with a blacked-out front page. Die Presse, meanwhile, is just asking "Warum": Why? The paper also asks if this tragedy could have been avoided. The front page of the tabloid Kronen Zeitung is a still from a video taken by a student as they escaped the school building. France is also in shock after a teaching assistant was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old pupil. The daily Aujourd'hui en France remembers the victim Melanie on its front page. Le Figaro says that France is in shock and reports that the young pupil had previously been punished for bullying. Libération is also discussing the murder on its front page, saying that the incident has revived the debate on knife control. The Financial Times has a long read about the story of Rhianan Rudd. In 2021, she became the youngest girl in the UK to be charged with crimes of terrorism at just 15 years old. Those charges were later dropped, and authorities recognised that Rhianan had been groomed, and was later considered to be a victim under modern slavery legislation. But she took her own life in 2022 while living in a care home. Her story has led to a re-evaluation of how teenage radicalisation and extremism is understood. The UN Population Fund has just released its new report looking at why people are not having children. Al Jazeera reports that money, not infertility, is the cause of plummeting birth rates. According to the UN, some 39 percent of people say that financial limitations prevent them from having a child. Meanwhile, The Times of London is discussing a new solution to phone addiction in young children that has been suggested in the UK. "No Ball Game" signs could be banned in the UK, in an attempt to get children back outside and away from their phones.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
'This isn't real': teacher's narrow escape from Austria school shooter
Religion teacher Paul G. Nitsche was working on his own with the door open on the upper floor of the Dreierschuetzengasse secondary school in Graz when the shooting started. "I heard this bang. And I blocked it out," the 51-year-old told reporters, whose students were elsewhere sitting their final year exams. It was only when he heard the sound of bullet casings hitting the floor of a corridor outside, that "something snapped inside me" and the realisation dawned, he said. "I jumped up and thought, that as a teacher alone in a classroom with a possible attacker, this is a very bad situation. "And I decided to run. "I ran out quickly through the corridor, which is only a few metres long, and then down the stairs." It was then that the evangelical pastor saw the shooter in the corridor of the floor below. The sight of him stopped him in his tracks "for a moment". 'You try to block everything out' "He was trying to shoot the door (of a classroom) open with his rifle. "He was busy.... and I didn't look around much either... I didn't hang around," Nitsche said. "And as I ran down the stairs, I thought to myself, 'This isn't real, this is a film.'" But when he got to the lower floor "I saw a student lying on the floor and a teacher was there, and I knew, 'Ah, this is serious.'" "As a human being, you really try (to understand what is happening), I know that from my crisis training, but (at the same time) you really try to block everything out," the pastor added. "I think the emergency services were there a minute or two later, thank God." What struck Nitsche was the eerie silence that had fallen over the school. "It was very quiet. Everyone was calm. There was total silence. No screaming, nothing. That's not what school is like. "And the emergency services arrived in normal police cars, four of them with bulletproof vests, and then they went in." Nitsche said it was hard to grasp the enormity of what had happened. What he experienced was just one part of "a mosaic with lots of pieces". He went back to help comfort students outside the school Wednesday. A city in shock A large black banner, "Graz stands together", was strung across a fence nearby as Austria's second city tried to come to terms with the tragedy. Small groups of students, most dressed in black and many of them crying, placed candles at the entrance of the closed school. Tuesday's shooting is an unprecedented case of deadly gun violence in the usually peaceful Alpine country. Police said the shooter, a 21-year-old former student at the school, killed himself in a toilet after leaving 10 dead or dying and wounding 12 others. Police found a "non-functional homemade bomb" during a search of his home. A goodbye letter addressed to the suspect's parents was also recovered, though it included no clues about his motive. Locals in Graz are struggling to express their shock. "You can see here how the whole city, probably the whole country is reeling," Michael Saad, a 22-year-old student, told AFP at a candlelight vigil late Tuesday. Saad was among hundreds gathered at the central square in Graz, many young people, placing candles at the feet of a monument in the square in a sombre atmosphere as people stood in silence. Many hugged with tears in their eyes, while others talked quietly in muffled voices. © 2025 AFP
