A 21-year-old former student carried out a deadly shooting at the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz, Austria, killing nine students and a teacher before taking his own life. Investigators revealed that the gunman had developed a fascination with school shootings over several years, glorifying both the violent acts and their perpetrators, though his exact motive remains unknown.
The attack, which lasted roughly seven minutes, was meticulously planned down to the smallest detail. Police found that the shooter still had 24 bullets in two magazines, 18 loose bullets for his Glock handgun, and 17 shotgun shells, raising questions about why he stopped when he did. Minutes before the rampage, he posted a photo of his legs and boots from a school bathroom on social media.
Authorities discovered plans for an explosive attack and a non-functioning pipe bomb at his home, along with a digital and handwritten suicide note addressed to his parents, which offered no clear motive. The gunman legally owned the firearms used in the attack and had passed the psychological evaluation required for gun ownership in Austria, a country known for relatively liberal gun laws compared to other EU states.
The massacre is Austria’s deadliest school shooting in recent history and has left the nation in mourning. Eleven people were wounded, with nine still hospitalized, though none are in critical condition. Chancellor Christian Stocker announced plans to tighten Austria’s gun laws in response to the tragedy.
The shooter was described as a solitary individual who had left the school three years prior and reportedly had been bullied. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances and motivations behind the attack. The incident has sparked a national debate on gun control, with local officials calling for stricter regulations and a complete ban on private weapons.
This tragic event highlights the challenges of preventing such attacks despite existing gun ownership regulations and the complex psychological factors involved in mass shootings.
