A 21-year-old gunman opened fire at a secondary school in Graz on Tuesday, killing nine students and a teacher before turning the weapon on himself in the deadliest mass shooting in Austria’s recent history. Twelve others were injured, with one victim succumbing to their wounds hours later in the hospital.
The attack unfolded around 10:00 local time at Dreierschützengasse secondary school, located near Graz’s main train station. Witnesses described initial confusion as gunshots rang out, with some mistaking the sounds for firecrackers or construction noise.
“Was that a shot? That can’t be true. Something must have fallen at the construction site across the street,” a 17-year-old student, identified only as F, told the Kleine Zeitung newspaper.
Teachers quickly barricaded classrooms, while students recounted moments of terror. “Then there was screaming, and we ran,” one pupil told Die Presse.
Paul Nitsche, a religious studies teacher at the school, described hearing a “bang” followed by bullet casings hitting the corridor floor. “Something snapped inside me. I jumped up and decided to run,” he told AFP. As he fled, he glimpsed the shooter and recalled thinking, This isn’t real.
Local residents Astrid and Franz, who live near the school, told the BBC they heard 30 to 40 shots. “We saw one pupil at the window—it looked like he was getting ready to jump out,” Franz said. Students later escaped through a ground-floor exit and gathered on the street.
Authorities confirmed the gunman, a former student who had not graduated, acted alone and legally owned the pistol and shotgun used in the attack. Police found a farewell letter, a video, and a non-functional pipe bomb at his home, along with abandoned plans for a bomb attack.
“No motive can be taken from the farewell letter so far,” said Franz Ruf, Director of Public Security, though local media speculated past bullying may have played a role.
The shooter, identified in Austrian media as Artur A., had no prior criminal record and had passed the psychological evaluation required for firearm ownership.
Austria declared three days of mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and a nationwide minute of silence observed on Wednesday. The tragedy has reignited debate over the country’s gun laws, which are among the most permissive in Europe.
Graz Mayor Elke Kahr called for stricter regulations, stating gun licenses are “issued too quickly.” Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized that schools must remain “places of peace,” while Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr pledged support for affected families.
Of the 11 injured, eight are Austrian, two Romanian, and one Iranian. All are now in stable condition.
As investigations continue, the country grapples with a profound loss. “The whole of Austria is in mourning,” said Tores, a Graz resident who knew one of the victims. “This is terrible for everyone.”