A 21-year-old former student opened fire at a high school in Graz on Tuesday morning, killing 10 people and injuring 12 others, according to authorities.
Police said the shooting began around 10 a.m. at the Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium Dreierschützengasse, a school located roughly one kilometer from Graz’s city center.
Among the dead were six females and three males, mostly teenagers aged 14 to 18, as well as one adult who later died from injuries in the hospital. According to France’s foreign ministry, one of the victims was a 17-year-old French exchange student.
The suspect, whose name has not been released, previously attended the school but did not graduate. According to police, he used both a legally obtained shotgun and pistol to carry out the attack before killing himself in a bathroom.
Police said the shooter acted alone. The motive behind the attack is currently being investigated.
Following the shooting, hundreds gathered Tuesday night for a silent vigil in Graz’s main square.
Graz residents mourn loss.
Residents of Graz unite in a mass and candlelight vigil.
➔ They gather to honor the 10 victims who lost their lives in the recent tragic school shooting.
➔ Community stands together in grief, reflecting on the impact of the event. #Graz… pic.twitter.com/Mjvu0tgM6s— Thomas MORE (@ThomaMore) June 11, 2025
Public mourning seen evident in Graz with candles & flowers being presented all through the day into the night in memory of the victims of the shooting by the 21yr old gunman! Confirmed that 6 females & 3 males among the dead with further details still as yet to be released! pic.twitter.com/mNHXlj3XOx
— Diana Speaks (@Diana6197Davis) June 10, 2025
Chancellor Christian Stocker declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff. A national minute of silence will be observed Wednesday at 10 a.m., 24 hours after the first emergency call.
“This is a national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country,” Stocker said.
Gun violence is rare in Austria, with a firearm homicide rate of 0.1 per 100,000 people in 2021, according to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation.
However, the country has relatively high civilian gun ownership—about 30 guns per 100 people, based on estimates from the Small Arms Survey.
