Austria is reeling after a tragic and unprecedented school shooting in the city of Graz. On the morning of June 10, a 21-year-old former student stormed into his old secondary school and opened fire, killing nine people and injuring at least 12 before taking his own life. A tenth victim later died in hospital, according to local news sources.
This harrowing attack has become the deadliest school shooting in Austria’s modern history.
Armed with a pistol and a shotgun, the gunman entered the school premises just after 10 a.m. and targeted two classrooms—one of which he had reportedly attended as a student. Authorities say most of the victims were current pupils, with six females and three males confirmed dead at the scene. The attacker was later found deceased in a school bathroom.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that the shooter acted alone. Police recovered a farewell note from his home, but its contents have not yet been released. Investigations into his motive are ongoing, though some unconfirmed reports suggest he may have been a victim of past bullying.
The country is in shock, with the incident striking at the heart of Austria’s usually peaceful society. More than 300 police officers rushed to the scene, and emergency services responded swiftly, sealing off the school and evacuating students and staff.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker addressed the nation with deep sorrow. “The rampage at a school in Graz is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country,” he said. “There are no words for the pain and grief that all of Austria is feeling right now.”
Stocker declared three days of national mourning, with a moment of silence scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday. He visited Graz to meet with local officials and victims’ families.
The shooting has drawn condolences from world leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his solidarity, stating, “We hope their loved ones can find comfort in the company of their families and friends in this dark hour.”
Austria has relatively high civilian gun ownership—estimated at 30 firearms per 100 people—but such mass shootings remain rare. The last comparable tragedy occurred in 1997 when a man killed six people before committing suicide. More recently, a jihadist killed four and injured 22 during an attack in Vienna in 2020.
Experts, including Julia Ebner from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, have described this school shooting as an anomaly in Austrian history. “These events are extremely rare in Austria, unlike in countries like the U.S.,” she noted.
As investigations continue, the nation mourns not only the young lives lost but also the innocence shattered by such senseless violence. Support centers have been established for grieving families and traumatized students as Austria grapples with the aftermath of this horrifying event.
