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Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
What we know about Austria school shooting
Students were sitting in their classrooms at a secondary school in Graz when a 21-year-old Austrian man shot dead nine people, before killing himself. Twelve people were injured in Tuesday morning's violence, with one person dying hours later in hospital from their injuries. The incident was the deadliest mass shooting in Austria's recent history and the country has declared three days of mourning. Police are still investigating why the gunman - a former student who did not graduate - carried out the attack. Here is what we know so far. The first shot echoed through Dreierschützengasse secondary school, in the north-west of Graz, close to the main train station, at about 10:00 local time (09:00 BST), initially sparking confusion as to what was happening. "Was that a shot? That can't be true. Something must have fallen at the construction site across the street," a 17-year-old student, identified as F, said to his friends, according to the Kleine Zeitung newspaper. One student told Die Presse that when shots rang out, his teacher immediately locked the classroom. Another student told the paper that at first she thought the shots were firecrackers, but "then there was screaming, and we ran". Local resident Astrid, who lives in a building next to the school, told the BBC she heard 30 or 40 shots. Her husband Franz called the police. "We saw one pupil at the window - it looked like he was getting ready to jump out... but then he went back inside," Franz said. The couple later saw the students had "got out of the school on the ground floor, from the other side" where they "gathered on the street", Franz said. The shooter took his own life in a school bathroom shortly after the gun attack, the authorities said. The first emergency calls reached police at exactly 10:00, with the first patrol arriving on scene at 10:06, police said on Wednesday. Shortly after, a Cobra tactical unit, which handles attacks and hostage situations, and other specialist units arrived. Police brought the situation under control in 17 minutes. More than 300 police in total were deployed to the school. Nine students - six girls and three boys - between the ages of 14 and 17 were killed in the shooting, police said. A teacher died of her injuries in hospital. All were Austrian citizens, except for one Polish citizen. The victims have not yet been named by the authorities. One woman, Tores, told BBC News in Graz's main square on Wednesday that she knew one of the boys who had died. He was 17. "I've know this family for a long time, including the son of the family, and knew that he attended that school. I rang immediately, to ask if everything is OK. Then they let me know at midday, that the boy was one of those slaughtered," she said. "What happened yesterday is completely awful, the whole of Austria is in mourning," she said. "This is terrible for the whole of Austria." The other eleven injured people are currently out of danger, police said on Wednesday. They are between the ages of 15 and 26. Eight are from Austria, two from Romania and one from Iran. The 21-year-old, who has not yet been named, was an Austrian man from the wider Graz region who acted alone, police said. He lived with his single mother, who is also Austrian, in the Graz-Umgebung district, police said in a press release on Wednesday. His father, who is originally from Armenia, had not lived in the same household since their separation. He was a former Dreierschützengasse student who did not graduate from the school, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told a news conference on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, police said they found a "farewell letter", "farewell video", a non-functional pipe bomb and apparently abandoned plans for a bomb attack during a search of the suspect's home. He legally owned the pistol and shotgun used in the attack, police added. Police said they are still investigating a possible motive. Austria has one of the most heavily armed civilian populations in Europe, with an estimated 30 firearms per 100 persons, according to the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project. Machine guns and pump action guns are banned, while revolvers, pistols and semi-automatic weapons are allowed only with official authorisation. Rifles and shotguns are permitted with a firearms licence or a valid hunting licence, or for members of traditional shooting clubs. School shootings are rare. There have been a few incidents over the years that have involved far fewer casualties: In 2018, a 19-year-old was shot by another youth in Mistelbach, north of Vienna In 2012 in St Pölten, a pupil was shot dead by his father In 1997, in Zöbern, a 15-year-old killed a teacher and seriously injured another In 1993, a 13-year-old boy in Hausleiten seriously injured the head teacher and then killed himself Austria's most violent gun attack in recent years took place in the heart of Vienna in November 2020. Four people were killed and 22 injured when a convicted jihadist ran through the centre of the city opening fire, before he was eventually shot by police. Fanny Gasser, a journalist for the Austrian daily newspaper Kronen Zeitung, told BBC News the school was likely unprepared for the possibility of an attack. "We are not living in America, we are living in Austria, which seems like a very safe space." Austrians hold vigil to mourn 10 victims of school shooting School shooting leaves Austria's second city in shock and grief
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Austria's gun laws come under scrutiny after 10 die in school shooting
A day after a gunman attacked a school in Graz and killed 10, including students, many in Austria were left questioning how such an act of violence could occur, turning attention to the country's gun laws. According to police, the 21-year-old attacker legally owned both weapons used in the assault on Tuesday: a Glock pistol and a shotgun. According to Kleine Zeitung newspaper, the attacker had purchased one of the weapons just days before carrying out the attack. To acquire it legally, he was required to pass a psychological evaluation, Süddeutsche Zeitung reported, citing Austrian authorities. Around 1.5 million weapons are registered in Austria - a country with a population of just over 9 million and more liberal gun laws relative to the rest of Europe. After the attack, a debate on the country's laws is gaining pace, with Graz Mayor Elke Kahr calling for a ban on weapons in the private sector on Tuesday evening. In her opinion, gun licences are "simply issued too quickly". Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported that there are approximately 400,000 more weapons in the Alpine country today than there were five years ago. Compared to other European countries such as Germany or France, Austria's gun laws are considered to be somewhat more liberal, especially in how they allow for handgun ownership and cite self-defence as a reason to be able to carry weapons. Austria's Weapons Act divides firearms into four categories: Prohibited weapons (category A), firearms subject to authorisation (category B), firearms subject to registration (category C) and other firearms (category D). The possession of category B weapons — such as pistols or semi-automatic rifles — is only permitted with a firearms licence or a firearms pass. The latter also authorises the holder to carry the weapon in public. Category C and D weapons — such as hunting rifles — may be purchased from the age of 18, but must be registered in the Central Weapons Register within six weeks. In Austria, the basic requirements for legal possession of weapons include being of legal age, holding a permanent residence permit, and not having a weapons ban. Depending on the weapon category, additional proof such as reliability, training, and evidence of justification may also be required. Weapons and ammunition must be stored safely at home, usually in a gun cabinet, and may only be transported unloaded and in a locked container. Austrian authorities have widely condemned the attack, said to be Austria's worst mass shooting since World War II. Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen said the 'horror could not be put into words', while Chancellor Christian Stocker has declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy.
North Wales Chronicle
2 days ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
At least 10 dead in Austrian school shooting
The suspected perpetrator also died, the city's mayor said. Special forces were among those sent to the BORG Dreierschutzengasse high school, just under a mile from Graz's historic centre, after a call at 10am local time (9am BST). At 11.30am (10.30am BST), police wrote on social network X that the school had been evacuated and everyone had been taken to a safe meeting point. Authorities say the assailant was a 21-year-old Austrian man who had two weapons, which he appeared to have owned legally. Police said they did not immediately have information on the man's motive, but said that he killed himself in a toilet after fatally shooting nine people. Austrian interior minister Gerhard Karner said at a press conference in Graz that the gunman was a former student at the school who did not finish his studies. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said there would be three days of national mourning, with the Austrian flag lowered to half-staff and a national minute of mourning at 10am on Wednesday (9am BST). He said that it was 'a dark day in the history of our country'. Police deployed in large numbers, with police and other emergency vehicles guarding the area around the school and with at least one police helicopter flying above the area, according to photos published by the regional newspaper Kleine Zeitung. Graz, Austria's second-biggest city, is located in the south-east of the country and has about 300,000 inhabitants. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, who is going to Graz, said the shooting 'is a national tragedy that deeply shocks our whole country'. 'There are no words for the pain and grief that all of us — the whole of Austria — feel now,' he wrote in a statement posted on X. Die Nachrichten aus Graz treffen ins Mark. Meine Gedanken sind bei den Opfern, ihren Familien und Freunden. Schulen sind Symbole für Jugend, Hoffnung, und Zukunft. Es ist schwer zu ertragen, wenn Schulen zu Orten von Tod und Gewalt werden. Mein Dank gilt den Einsatzkräften… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 10, 2025 President Alexander Van der Bellen said that 'this horror cannot be captured in words'. 'These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way,' he said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: 'Schools are symbols for youth, hope and the future. 'It is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.'
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
At least 10 dead in Austrian school shooting
The suspected perpetrator also died, the city's mayor said. Special forces were among those sent to the BORG Dreierschutzengasse high school, just under a mile from Graz's historic centre, after a call at 10am local time (9am BST). At 11.30am (10.30am BST), police wrote on social network X that the school had been evacuated and everyone had been taken to a safe meeting point. Authorities say the assailant was a 21-year-old Austrian man who had two weapons, which he appeared to have owned legally. Police said they did not immediately have information on the man's motive, but said that he killed himself in a toilet after fatally shooting nine people. Austrian interior minister Gerhard Karner said at a press conference in Graz that the gunman was a former student at the school who did not finish his studies. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said there would be three days of national mourning, with the Austrian flag lowered to half-staff and a national minute of mourning at 10am on Wednesday (9am BST). He said that it was 'a dark day in the history of our country'. Police deployed in large numbers, with police and other emergency vehicles guarding the area around the school and with at least one police helicopter flying above the area, according to photos published by the regional newspaper Kleine Zeitung. Graz, Austria's second-biggest city, is located in the south-east of the country and has about 300,000 inhabitants. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, who is going to Graz, said the shooting 'is a national tragedy that deeply shocks our whole country'. 'There are no words for the pain and grief that all of us — the whole of Austria — feel now,' he wrote in a statement posted on X. Die Nachrichten aus Graz treffen ins Mark. Meine Gedanken sind bei den Opfern, ihren Familien und Freunden. Schulen sind Symbole für Jugend, Hoffnung, und Zukunft. Es ist schwer zu ertragen, wenn Schulen zu Orten von Tod und Gewalt werden. Mein Dank gilt den Einsatzkräften… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) June 10, 2025 President Alexander Van der Bellen said that 'this horror cannot be captured in words'. 'These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way,' he said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X: 'Schools are symbols for youth, hope and the future. 'It is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.'
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Former student opens fire at Austrian school, killing 10 and taking his own life
Police officers attend the scene of a shooting at a school in Graz, Austria, Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Kleine Zeitung via AP) By PHILIPP JENNE and GEIR MOULSON A former student opened fire at a school in Austria's second-biggest city on Tuesday, fatally wounding 10 people and injuring many others before taking his own life, authorities said. There was no immediate information on the motive of the 21-year-old man, who had no previous police record. He used two weapons, which he was believed to have owned legally, police said. 'Today is a dark day in the history of our country,' Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker told reporters in Graz, a city of about 300,000 people in southeastern Austria. He called it 'a national tragedy that shocks us deeply' and said there would be three days of national mourning, with the Austrian flag lowered to half-staff at official buildings. A national minute of silence is to be held on Wednesday morning in memory of the victims. Special forces were among those sent to the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school, about a kilometer from Graz's historic center, after calls at 10 a.m. reporting shots at the building. More than 300 police officers were sent to the school, which was evacuated. Footage from the scene showed students filing out quickly past armed officers. Police said security was restored in 17 minutes. The assailant, who acted alone, was a 21-year-old Austrian man who lived near Graz, police said. His name wasn't released. Regional police chief Gerald Ortner said two firearms — a long gun and a handgun — were used in the shooting and recovered from the scene, and that the assailant was apparently legally in possession of them. The man took his own life in a bathroom. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the gunman had been a student at the school and hadn't completed his studies. He didn't specify when the man left the school or at what age. Karner said Tuesday afternoon that six of the dead were female and three male, but didn't give further information. He said 12 people were wounded. The state hospital in Graz later said that a 10th victim, an adult woman, had died of her injuries, the Austria Press Agency reported. Austria's Red Cross said it had deployed 65 ambulances to the scene and 158 emergency staffers were helping treat the injured. In addition, 40 specially trained psychologists were counseling students and parents. The Red Cross also called on locals to come forward and donate blood. Metin Özden was in his kebab restaurant near the school when he first heard police cars sped by, and then a police helicopter above. He told the Krone newspaper: 'I knew something bad had happened. … I've never seen so many emergency services in my entire life.' He also described to the paper seeing parents walking past his restaurant and crying on the way to the school. Tuesday's violence appeared to be the deadliest attack in Austria's post-World War II history. In 2020, four people were killed in Vienna and the suspect, a sympathizer of the Islamic State group, also died in a shooting. More than 20 other people, including a police officer, were wounded. In June 2015, a man killed three people and injured more than 30 when he drove through a crowd in downtown Graz with an SUV. Austria, which has a strong tradition of hunting, has some of the more liberal gun laws in the European Union. Some weapons, such as rifles and shotguns that must be reloaded manually after each shot, can be purchased in Austria from the age of 18 without a permit. Gun dealers only need to check if there's no weapons ban on the buyer and the weapon gets registered in the central weapons register. 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. Moulson, Kirsten Grieshaber and Stefanie Dazio contributed to this report from Berlin and Vanessa Gera from Warsaw, Poland. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
