A tragic school shooting in Graz, Austria, has left nine students and a teacher dead. The 21-year-old gunman, a former student of the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school, carried out the attack last Tuesday, meticulously planning it over the years. Authorities are still trying to understand his motives.
The attack lasted about seven minutes, during which the shooter used a Glock handgun and a shotgun. After the incident, police found he still had 24 bullets in two magazines, 18 loose rounds, and 17 shotgun shells. This raises questions about why he stopped shooting when he did.
In addition to the fatalities, eleven others were injured, with two victims still in intensive care. The gunman ultimately took his own life after the rampage. This shocking event has sparked fears of copycat threats, with police reporting around 30 such incidents in Graz alone since the shooting.
Investigators are examining the gunman’s social media presence, noting that he had developed a disturbing fascination with school shootings over the years. Michael Lohnegger, the head of Styria province’s criminal police, stated that the shooter not only glorified these acts but also admired the perpetrators.
In response to this tragedy, Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker announced plans to tighten the country’s gun laws, which are among the most lenient in the European Union. The community is left grappling with the aftermath, as many students express fear about returning to school.