Austrian president questions gun laws after school shooting tragedy
"Does the legal situation really meet modern requirements? That will have to be examined," Van der Bellen said on Wednesday during a visit to the city, according to the APA news agency.
On Tuesday, a 21-year-old man opened fire in his former high school, killing 10 people and taking his own life. The attacker was armed with a shotgun and a handgun, both of which he legally owned, police said.
Van der Bellen, who once led the Green Party, said politicians must now address "how it can be that a 21-year-old has a handgun and a long gun and has the opportunity to buy the appropriate ammunition and cause this disaster."
Calls for tighter gun laws have intensified in the wake of the attack.
The communist mayor of Graz, Elke Kahr, has urged a ban on private firearm ownership.
Under current Austrian law, purchasing handguns requires official authorization, but rifles and shotguns can be bought without a permit.
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