Ten people, including
the shooter, have been killed after a former pupil opened fire at a secondary school in the Austrian city of Graz on Tuesday in an incident being regarded as the worst school shooting in the country’s modern history.
According to Austria’s interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, six of the victims were female and three were male, while a further 12 people were left injured. The 21-year-old shooter, who was found dead in a bathroom, was said to be operating alone when he entered the school carrying a pistol and shotgun and opened fire on pupils in two classrooms, one of which had once been his own.
“The rampage at a school in Graz is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country,” Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said, calling it a “dark day in the history of our country”.
“There are no words for the pain and grief that we all of Austria-are feeling right now.” He said.
The Chancellor
further announced three days of national mourning, with a minute’s silence to be held at 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) on Wednesday. Austrian newspaper Kronen-Zeitung said police had found a farewell note from the shooter during a search of his home but it did not disclose details of the note.
More than 300 police were called to the scene after shots were heard around 10 a.m. at the school where pupils of 15 and above attend and Police said ambulances arrived within minutes and authorities cordoned off the school.
