Ten dead in Austria school shooting, police say
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Graz shooting UPDATES: Ten dead as school evacuated by armed police
Gunman opened fire at a school in Graz, Austria, at about 10am local time. Interior Ministry has confirmed that ten people were killed in the attack. The perpetrator, who reportedly killed themselves in a toilet after the attack,
The BORG Dreierschützengasse school is being evacuated with officers swarming the scene. Austrian special task force Cobra has also been deployed to the horror incident, which was reported at about 10am local time when gunshots were heard in the area.
The Austrian Interior Ministry has confirmed that ten people were killed in the attack.
The perpetrator, who reportedly killed themselves in a toilet after the attack, was also among them, said local Mayor Elke Kahr.
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What to Know About the Mass Shooting in Graz, Austria
Eight students and one adult killed in mass shooting at school in Graz, Austria. Police believe the gunman was a former student. The school has been evacuated and all students have been taken to a safe place. Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place at a high school in the city of Graz. The attack is the deadliest mass shooting in Austrian history.
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Local media reported that 28 people injured in the attack are also being treated in hospital, according to the BBC.
Special forces were among those sent to the school after police received a phone call at 10 a.m. local time in Austria’s second largest city. The school has been evacuated and police wrote on X that everyone has been taken to a safe meeting point and the situation is “secured,” AP reported.
Police said that students from the high school will later be taken to the local ASKÖ Stadium, where they can then be picked up by parents and relatives.
Local media has reported that the suspected gunman is a former student, aged 22. Police said they believe the assailant acted alone.
He carried a pistol and shotgun and opened fired in two classrooms, Reuters reported.
Tuesday’s incident is the first significant mass shooting in Austria since November 2020, when a 20-year-old gunman killed four people and injured 23 others. Islamic State later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ten dead in Austria school shooting, including suspect, police say – live updates
‘In these difficult hours, being human is our strongest point’ – Stocker. Chancellor expresses his condolences to families and parents who have lost a child in the shooting today.
Chancellor Stocker continues his address to the nation by saying that the country stands still in these moments of shock.
He expresses his condolences to the families and parents who have lost a child in the shooting today.
Stocker says we have to show unity in moments like this, adding that schools should be a safe place.
“In these difficult hours, being human is our strongest point,” he adds.
The chancellor thanks emergency services.
Austria school shooting LIVE: 9 dead in gun rampage as nation declares 3 days of mourning
Austria’s public broadcaster, ORF, reported the suspected gunman is believed to have killed himself, taking the number of deaths to 10. Eight children and one adult, believed to be a teacher, were confirmed dead by Austrian police.
Austria’s public broadcaster, ORF, reported the suspected gunman is believed to have killed himself, taking the number of deaths to 10. The shooter was reportedly a 22-year-old man.
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It was not known in the initial aftermath of the attack whether he turned a gun on himself or was shot by police. Eight children and one adult, believed to be a teacher, were confirmed dead by Austrian police.
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Austria: Several killed in Graz school shooting — mayor – DW – 06
At least 10 people have been killed in a shooting incident at a high school in Graz, Austria. Austrian police said the school was evacuated after they responded to reports of gun fire. Police said that there had been “several deaths” after an operation was launched following reports of gunshots in Dreierschützengasse street. Chancellor Christian Stocker extended his condolences to the victims and their loved ones in a post on X “is a national tragedy that has shocked our whole country,” Stocker said. Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germans were mourning with Austrians in the wake of the shooting. The attack was carried out by a sympathizer of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, according to the German news agency DPA. The suspected shooter was thought to be have been a 22-year-old former student.
Multiple people have been killed in an attack at a high school in the southern Austrian city of Graz, according to authorities.
Police said that there had been “several deaths” after an operation was launched following reports of gunshots in Dreierschützengasse street. The operation began at 10 a.m. local time (0800 UTC).
Police said in a later statement that the school had been succesfully evacuated.
“The situation is secure,” police said. “No further danger is expected.”
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The suspected perpetrator’s motive was initially unclear.
Police said that a helicopter had been deployed as part of the operation.
Graz has around 300,000 inhabitants and is the capital of Styria state.
What did Graz’s mayor say about the shooting?
Graz mayor Elke Kahr said that ten people were killed in the shooting, including the suspected perpetrator, according to Austria’s APA news agency. Among the dead were at least one adult and several children.
Media reported that the suspected shooter was thought to be have been a 22-year-old former student of the school.
Several people were also reportedly injured. The Kronen Zeitung daily said that number of injured in the attack was in the “double digits.”
The ORF public broadcaster cited police as saying that both students and teachers were among the casualties.
Police said they believed that the shooter had acted alone.
Police said that several people had been killed in the shooting Image: Erwin Scheriau/APA/AFP
A ‘national tragedy’
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker extended his condolences to the victims and their loved ones in a post on X.
The school shooting in Graz “is a national tragedy that has shocked our whole country,” Stocker said.
“There are no words for the pain and grief that we are all … feeling.”
President Alexander van der Bellen said that the attack had hit Austria “right in the heart.”
“Austria is in mourning,” he said. “And in this hour, we are standing together.”
Meanwhile, the chancellor of neighboring Germany, Friedrich Merz, said Germans were mourning with Austrians.
“Horrific news from Graz. Our thoughts are with our Austrian friends and we mourn with them,” he said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also expressed her condolences in an X post.
“My thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends,” she said. “Schools are a symbol for youth, hope and the future. It is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.”
EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said she was “deeply shocked by the news of the school shooting in Austria.”
“Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence.”
How strict are Austria’s gun laws?
Austria has nearly 30 civilian firearms per 100 people, according to the Small Arms Survey research project.
The Alpine country has banned automatic weapons and pump action guns, while revolvers, pistols and semi-automatic weapons are allowed with a permit.
Rifles and shotguns are permitted with a firearms license, a valid hunting licence or for members of shooting clubs.
In 2020, four were killed and 22 injured in a shooting in the center of Vienna.
The attack was carried out by a sympathizer of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.
Edited by: Kieran Burke