Thousands of people gathered in Austria’s Graz city to pay their respects to the victims of a devastating school shooting that claimed 10 lives. The victims included six females and three males, with a seventh female dying later in the hospital. The shooting occurred at Dreierschützengasse secondary school, where a 21-year-old former student opened fire, killing students and wounding 12 others before taking his own life in a school bathroom.
At the candlelight vigil, residents of Graz came together to show solidarity and support for the families affected by the tragedy. The city’s main square was transformed into a sea of candles, symbolizing the grief and unity of the people. Felix Platzer, a passerby at the vigil, expressed his sympathy for the victims and their families, saying, “When you hear about it, you have so much sympathy for the people, maybe you could have known someone. This is an example of solidarity and you grieve together and together it is easier to cope.”
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker described the shooting as a “national tragedy” and a “dark day in our country’s history”. He emphasized that a school is a place of trust, comfort, and future, but this safe space was “violated”. Stocker added, “In these difficult hours, being human is our strongest point.” The attack “strikes our country right at its heart”, he said, noting that the victims were young people with their whole lives ahead of them.
The gunman, a former student of the school, used two legally owned guns – a pistol and a shotgun – to carry out the shooting. Authorities found a farewell letter and a non-functional pipe bomb during a search of the suspect’s home, but the motive behind the attack remains unclear. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that the gunman was not known to police before the attack.
As the nation mourns, three days of mourning have been declared in Austria, and a nationwide minute’s silence was held in memory of the victims. Flags on the Hofburg Palace in Vienna will fly at half-mast, and the school where the attack took place will remain closed until further notice. Local residents, including 25-year-old Stephanie Koenig, came forward to donate blood, with Koenig saying, “Today is a hard day for all of us in Graz. I’m here to help other people who need it”.
European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas expressed her shock and condolences, stating, “Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence”. The incident has left the nation in shock, with Graz’s mayor, Elke Kahr, describing it as a “terrible tragedy”.