GRAZ: A former student opened fire at a high school in southeastern Austria on Tuesday, killing 10 people before taking his own life in the school’s toilet, in what authorities called an unprecedented act of gun violence.
Police said the 21-year-old Austrian used two legally owned weapons to carry out the attack at Dreierschuetzengasse high school in Graz. Nine people died at the scene, while a tenth—a woman—succumbed to her injuries in hospital. Twelve others were seriously injured. The victims included a 17-year-old French student, according to his father.
Investigators found a farewell letter addressed to the suspect’s parents but no explanation for his actions. He had previously attended the school but did not graduate, officials said.
Chancellor Christian Stocker declared three days of national mourning, calling it “an act of unimaginable violence” and “a dark day” for the country.
Flowers and candles were placed outside the school, which has around 400 students aged 14 to 18.
Nearby residents expressed disbelief. “It happens more in my home country, the US, but here, it’s unheard of,” one parent told AFP. The school was described as “known for its openness and diversity.”
European leaders offered condolences, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Such attacks are rare in Austria, one of the world’s safest countries. But a spate of school-related violence has shaken parts of Europe in recent years, including deadly incidents in Slovakia, Croatia, Prague, and Serbia. – AFP
