Deadly School Shooting Shakes Austrian City of Graz; 10 people, including students, were killed

 In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves across Austria, at least ten people, including students, were killed and several others seriously injured in a mass shooting at a secondary school in the southern city of Graz on Monday morning. Authorities have described the attack as the deadliest of its kind in Austria since the end of World War II.

The shooting unfolded at approximately 10:00 AM local time at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school. According to initial reports from local media, the attacker entered two classrooms and opened fire. Within 90 minutes, Graz police declared that the immediate threat had been neutralized following a large-scale security response, which included special forces units and multiple police helicopters.

Mayor Elke Kahr confirmed that the suspected gunman and several students were among those killed. Speaking to the press, she called the event a “terrible tragedy,” noting, “These killings affect every one of us deeply… It will take time to come to terms with this.”

The perpetrator, believed to be a former student of the institution, reportedly took his own life following the attack, according to police sources quoted by the Kurier newspaper. Emergency personnel, including crisis intervention teams, were quickly deployed to assist affected families, many of whom had gathered in a nearby sports hall for updates.

In the immediate aftermath, the area surrounding the school was sealed off by armed police, and public transportation was rerouted. Emergency vehicles continued to arrive on the scene well into the afternoon as a thorough search of the premises was conducted.

Top Austrian leaders responded swiftly. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Chancellor Christian Stocker traveled to Graz, while Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig issued a statement calling for unity: “We must stand together as a society. Hate and violence must never gain the upper hand. Our response must be an even stronger commitment to solidarity and mutual respect.”

Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger also expressed her sorrow, stating, “My deepest sympathy is with the victims and their families. This tragedy is both incomprehensible and unbearable. No words can describe their suffering.”

As investigations continue, Austria grapples with the gravity of a tragedy that has deeply scarred its national consciousness. Flags were lowered to half-mast across public institutions, and officials have pledged to enhance school security and mental health support in the wake of the devastating attack.