A 21-year-old former student opened fire at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz on Tuesday morning, killing nine people before taking his own life in Austria’s deadliest school shooting in modern history.
At a Glance
- Nine people killed and 12 injured at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city
- Gunman identified as 21-year-old former student who never graduated from the school
- Shooter used two legally-owned firearms – a rifle and handgun – before dying by suicide in school bathroom
- Six female and three male victims confirmed dead, with most being students according to Austrian media
- Attack occurred around 10:00 AM local time, marking Austria’s worst postwar school shooting
Deadly Rampage
The suspect used two weapons, a rifle and a handgun, to carry out the killing spree before fatally shooting himself in a bathroom, authorities confirmed at an afternoon press conference. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner identified the perpetrator as a 21-year-old former student who did not graduate from the school and legally owned both firearms used in the attack.
Part of the shooting took place in the gunman’s former classroom, adding a chilling personal dimension to the tragedy that has shocked the Alpine nation. The suspected shooter was previously unknown to authorities, according to Gerald Ortner, director of police for Styria state.
Interior Minister Karner confirmed six of the victims were female and three were male, with 12 people also injured, though officials declined to provide further victim identification details. Austrian media reports indicate most casualties were students at the secondary school.
Watch a report: Austria School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz.
National Shock
The attack represents the deadliest mass shooting in Austria’s postwar history, sending shockwaves through a country where such violence is extremely rare. Chancellor Christian Stocker canceled scheduled appointments as the nation grappled with the unprecedented tragedy.
Emergency services responded swiftly to reports of gunshots at approximately 10:00 AM local time, with police quickly securing the scene and confirming no further danger existed. The BORG Dreierschützengasse school, located in Austria’s second-largest city, became the site of carnage that has left families and communities devastated.
The motive behind the attack remains under investigation, with authorities providing few details about what drove the former student to return to his old school with deadly intent. The tragedy has reignited discussions about gun control in a country where firearms ownership, while regulated, allowed the perpetrator legal access to the weapons used in Tuesday’s massacre.
