Ten people were killed and nearly 30 teachers and students wounded: this is the first toll of the horrific shooting that took place this morning at Borg High School in Graz, Austria.
According to initial reports, the gunman, a 22-year-old former student at the institution, took his own life after opening fire. The young man considered himself a victim of bullying: he legally owned two weapons, a pistol and a shotgun. He allegedly opened fire in two classrooms, one of which was his old classroom. Soon after, he committed suicide in one of the facility’s bathrooms.
At least seven students and one adult, in addition to the shooter, were killed in the shooting, while 28 wounded are currently hospitalized in city and regional hospitals, including four “in extremely critical condition.” As reported by Krone Zeitung, “some victims were reportedly shot in the head.” All hospitals in Styria have been alerted and had to report their capacity. Doctors from regional and university hospitals also arrived on the scene, and two care centers were set up near the school for those affected.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr will also reach the hub in the coming hours. Local media described it as “one of the most serious attacks in Austrian history,” which occurred just as the city was preparing to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the June 20, 2015 massacre. At the time, a man driving an off-road vehicle plowed into the crowd in the city center, killing three people and injuring 40.
“I am deeply shocked by the news of the school shooting in Austria,” EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Kaja Kallas wrote on X, ”Every student should feel safe at school and be able to learn without fear and violence. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and the Austrian people at this dark moment,” he added.
