A gunman has opened fire at a high school in Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, killing nine people and injuring around 30 others. The suspected shooter, believed to be a 22-year-old former student, reportedly died by suicide when police arrived.
The attack, the deadliest school shooting in Austria’s recent history, took place Tuesday morning at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school. The attacker reportedly entered the school armed with a pistol and shotgun, opening fire in at least two classrooms, one of which was his former classroom. Police evacuated the school and secured the area with support from special forces and emergency services. Authorities confirmed the attacker acted alone, but the motive remains unclear.
Austrian leaders expressed shock and grief over the incident. Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called it a “national tragedy,” while President Alexander Van der Bellen mourned the young victims. Graz Mayor Elke Kahr described the event as a “terrible tragedy.”
