Gunman Kills Nine in Rare Austrian School Shooting

A former student opened fire at a secondary school in Graz on Tuesday morning, killing nine people and injuring 12 others before taking his own life, Austrian authorities said.

Police responded around 10 a.m. local time to reports of gunfire at the Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium Dreierschützengasse, located in the city’s northwest. Officials confirmed that the gunman, a 21-year-old man, was later found dead in a school restroom from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The attacker was armed with a rifle and a handgun, both legally licensed. He was not previously known to law enforcement, authorities said. Police believe he acted alone.

The victims included six women and three men. Authorities have not disclosed whether they were students, staff, or visitors, and did not provide their ages.

Around 300 police officers and 160 paramedics responded to the scene, evacuating the school and providing emergency care. The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, speaking in Graz, called the incident “a national tragedy,” and announced three days of mourning. “There are no words to describe the pain, the disbelief, and the grief that all of Austria feels right now,” he said.

Mass shootings are extremely rare in Austria, a country of 9 million people. Despite having one of Europe’s highest rates of civilian gun ownership — about 30 firearms per 100 residents — gun laws require licensing and registration for most types of firearms. Fully automatic weapons and pump-action shotguns are banned.

Authorities are continuing their investigation and have not released the name of the shooter.