Austria has witnessed its deadliest mass shooting, with at least 11 people killed and 30 injured in a high school attack in Graz, the country’s second-largest city.
The shooter, identified as a 21-year-old former student, carried a pistol and shotgun and opened fire on pupils in two classrooms. The suspect had been a victim of bullying and reportedly shot himself after attacking his victims.
Austrian authorities have announced three days of mourning following the incident, with Chancellor Christian Stocker describing it as a “national tragedy” that has deeply shaken the country.
The attack marks the Central European nation’s deadliest mass shooting outside of wars. Graz is home to historic landmarks like the Uhrturm, or Clock Tower, on the Schlossberg hill, and is known for its diverse population and universities.
Foreign nationals make up a quarter of the city’s population, with Croatians, Romanians, Germans, and Bosnians being the four largest groups. The shooting has sparked widespread condemnation from European leaders, including EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Austria has experienced mass shootings in the past, but this incident is particularly alarming given the country’s relatively low rate of gun ownership compared to other European nations. Machine guns and pump-action guns are banned in Austria, with official authorisation required for revolvers, pistols, and semiautomatic weapons.
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/10/graz-austria-school-shooting-what-we-know-about-the-victims-shooter