Ten people are dead and 12 wounded following a shooting in Graz, Austria, police confirmed. The deceased include six women, three men, and the attacker himself, according to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner. The attacker has been identified as a 21-year-old Austrian man, Artur A., a former student of the school.
Police confirmed that the attacker was from the Graz area and committed suicide in a school restroom. The suspect used two firearms: a long rifle and a pistol. According to the state police director, the perpetrator had no prior police record and legally possessed the weapons.
Special forces secured the scene within 17 minutes of arrival.
Gerhard Karner also noted that the suspect was a former student of the school where the attack occurred but had not graduated. He stated that many speculations are circulating, but it is now the job of the criminal investigation department to conduct a thorough inquiry into the motive. BBC reports that the motive is still under investigation.
According to the Styrian Hospital Association, seven wounded individuals are in critical condition. Kronen Zeitung confirmed that five teenagers and two adults are currently undergoing surgery at the University Hospital in Graz.
Austria will declare three days of mourning, and the flag in front of the Hofburg has been lowered to half-mast.
What We Know So Far
The shooting occurred just before 10:00 AM local time at the Dreierschützengasse high school, in Austria’s second-largest city. According to police, students and at least one adult were killed, and the perpetrator is also among the dead. Several other individuals were seriously injured.
The school has been secured, and a large police operation is underway, with officials expected to provide additional information soon. The ages and identities of the deceased have not yet been released.
