On the 10th, a large-scale shooting occurred at a high school in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, resulting in at least 10 fatalities, including the suspect.
Gerhart Karner, Austria's Minister of the Interior, said during a briefing that "six women and three men died on the scene," adding that "another victim who was receiving treatment for serious injuries in the hospital has also passed away." Eleven others are currently being treated for injuries at nearby hospitals.
Austrian police authorities disclosed that the suspect is a 21-year-old Austrian male who attended this school. The man attended the school but reportedly did not graduate, according to BBC. He had no criminal record.
He arrived at BORG Draierschützen Secondary School around 10 a.m. with two legally owned pistols and rifles. He fired shots in two classrooms, one of which was the classroom where he had studied while enrolled.
The suspect was found dead in a school bathroom, having taken his own life.
Chancellor Christian Schallenberg canceled his schedule and headed to Graz. At a press conference, he noted that "the Graz school shooting is a dark day in our country’s history," describing it as "an unimaginable act of violence and a national tragedy that shocked us all."
The Austrian government declared a three-day national mourning period. A minute of silence will be observed nationwide at 10 a.m. on the 11th.
President Alexander Van der Bellen expressed sorrow, stating, "What occurred today has struck at the heart of our country," and referred to the young individuals who had bright futures and their teachers, saying, "They were part of their journey."
According to the Guardian, Austria has 30 firearms for every 100 people. It is one of the countries with the highest civilian firearm ownership rates in Europe. While machine guns and fully automatic firearms are legally prohibited, handguns can be owned legally. Rifles and shotguns can be purchased with a gun license, hunting license, or shooting club membership.
Shooting incidents have occurred frequently. In 2020, a jihadist opened fire in Vienna, killing four people and injuring 22.
In November 1997, a 36-year-old mechanic killed six people in Mauthausen before taking his own life.