Cliff Notes
- The King and Queen expressed their shock and sadness over the tragic school shooting in Graz, Austria, that claimed the lives of 10 individuals, including nine students aged 14 to 17.
- A farewell letter and video from the gunman, a former student, were discovered, but investigators have not determined his motive; additional explosive materials were found at his home.
- Austria is observing three days of national mourning, marking the deadliest attack in the country since World War II, as communities participate in vigils and support for victims’ families.
King and Queen ‘shocked and saddened’ by school shooting in Austria
The King has said he and the Queen are “shocked and saddened” by the “appallingly tragic events” in Austria where a gunman shot and killed 10 people at a school.
A teacher and nine students were killed – six girls and three boys aged between 14 and 17. Another 11 people were wounded.
“My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the appallingly tragic events at the Dreierschützengasse school in Graz,” the King said in a statement to the people of Austria.
“Schools should be places of sanctuary and learning, which makes this horrific attack on students and staff all the more dreadful.
“Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those affected by this terrible loss of life and injury. We send our deepest sympathy to all Austrians at this profoundly distressing time.”
On Wednesday, it emerged a farewell letter and video were discovered at the home of the 21-year-old gunman, as the nation observed a minute’s silence.
The country paused at 10 am local time (9 am UK time), marking the moment of the attack a day earlier at the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school in the southeastern city of Graz.
Hundreds of people gathered in the central square of Austria‘s second-biggest city, some also lighting candles in memory of those killed, and others hugged each other, as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy.
In the capital Vienna, trams, subway trains and buses also stopped for a minute.
Hundreds of people joined Austrian officials at a service on Tuesday evening in Graz cathedral.
Police said the gunman, who took his own life, was a former student at the school who had not completed his studies.
But they added they do not yet know what his motive was.
The gunman, who has not yet been named by officials, used two weapons in the attack, a shotgun and a pistol, which he owned legally.
On Wednesday, officers searched the home where he lived with his mother near Graz and found a pipe bomb, which was not operational, along with abandoned plans for a bombing.
Franz Ruf, public security director at Austria’s interior ministry, told TV network ORF about the messages which officers discovered.
“A farewell letter in analog and digital form was found. He says goodbye to his parents. But no motive can be inferred from the farewell letter, and that is a matter for further investigations,” Mr Ruf said.
He added that the wounded people were found on various levels of the school and in the front of the building, but would not speculate on whether they were specifically targeted by the gunman.
‘It could happen to anybody in any school’ – Eyewitness
The sight of teenagers dressed in black – crying, holding candles and hugging each other – has defined our past two days in Graz. Some are pupils at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school, some lost friends, and others are local young people who feel personally affected, and fearful.
We spoke to three boys aged 14 to 15 years old – the same age as the youngest victims in Tuesday’s mass shooting – who go to a different secondary school. “A friend of mine has a friend, and she – I think she got shot and died,” one tells me. “And her best friend was also shot in the head. But she is now in the hospital.”
They’re on their way to school themselves. I ask how they feel about the place now? “Unsafe,” they all say in chorus, “because what happened is just so near to our school – it could happen to anybody in any school”.
Now, feeling vulnerable, in what was always a safe city, they want security at their school.
It’s a sentiment the police are all-too aware of. Concerningly, Sabri Yorgun, press spokesperson for the Styrian Provincial Police Directorate (LPD Steiermark), tells me copycat threats have sprung up “trying to exploit the situation to spread further fear”.
He says: “We treat every threat seriously. For example, security measures had to be taken yesterday at Graz central station due to a threat. A school also received a threatening email, and we had to conduct searches and security sweeps today.”
It all adds to the community’s sense of unease and confusion about why this happened.
‘It hurts to see that young girls and boys will never come back’
Among those in the square on Wednesday was Chiara Komlenic, 28, who said she always felt safe when she attended the school.
“I made lifelong friendships there. It just hurts to see that young girls and boys will never come back, that they experienced the worst day of their lives where I had the best time of my life… it just hurts a lot,” she said.
On Wednesday morning, local health officials said that those injured were aged between 15 and 26 and were in a stable condition.
Nine were still in intensive care units. Another two had been moved to regular wards.
Austria has declared three days of national mourning after what appears to be the deadliest attack in its post-Second World War history.