Austria’s deadliest school shooting has claimed 11 lives, following the death of an injured victim in hospital, marking a national tragedy in the city of Graz.
A 21-year-old former student opened fire at Dreierschützengasse Secondary School, killing ten people — six females and three males — before taking his own life in a school bathroom. Police later confirmed that another injured female succumbed to her wounds, raising the death toll to 11. Twelve others remain injured, some critically.
Authorities identified the shooter as a legal gun owner with no prior police record. He acted alone and used both a pistol and a shotgun in the attack. Investigations into his motive are ongoing.
The Austrian government has declared three days of national mourning, with a minute’s silence observed across the country. Chancellor Christian Stocker called the incident a “national tragedy,” noting that schools are meant to be spaces of safety and hope.
Austria’s President and Education Minister joined in expressing grief, while the Hofburg Palace flew flags at half-mast. Local and international figures, including European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas, condemned the violence.
The school has been shut indefinitely, and the Graz community is in shock. Blood donation centres saw long lines of residents seeking to help the wounded.
This is Austria’s deadliest mass shooting in recent history, surpassing previous incidents in Vienna (2020) and Nenzing (2016).
