10 Dead In Austria’s School Attack
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News
GRAZ/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – At least 10 people, including seven students and adults, have been killed in a school shooting in Graz, Austria’s second largest city, its Mayor Elke Kahr confirmed.
It is understood that the 10th death is the perpetrator. Several others are injured, with local media reporting up to 30 people in need of medical assistance, some in serious condition.
Tuesday’s shooting happened at a large secondary school, Dreierschützengasse, in Graz near the south-eastern city’s railway station, around 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital, Vienna.
Residents reported hearing shots shortly before 10 a.m. local time when police rushed to the scene.
Local police said later the site “has been secured” with no further danger to the public, confirming the suspect was dead. No more details were immediately given about his identity or possible motivation.
Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker, who was on the way to the scene, said Tuesday’s shooting at the school in Graz was a “national tragedy that has deeply shaken our entire country.”
He called it an “incomprehensible act” of violence. “There are no words for the pain and grief that all of us in Austria are feeling right now.”
EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES
Stocker expressed his condolences to the families of those affected and thanked emergency services for their reaction.
“Today, it’s all about compassion. And about being there for one another. In these difficult times, humanity is our strongest force,” the chancellor stressed.
Kaja Kallas, the foreign policy chief of the European Union, said she was “Deeply shocked by the news of the school shooting in Austria,” an EU member state.
“Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Austrian people in this dark moment,” she added.
The president of the European Commission, the EU’s executive, said her thoughts where with the victims, their families and friends. President Ursula von der Leyen added, “Schools are symbols of youth, hope, and the future. It’s hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence.”
She added, “My thanks go to the emergency services and helpers during these difficult times.” Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also expressed solidarity with Austria.
The attack came near the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Graz attack when a man drove his vehicle into a crowd, killing three people and injuring 34 others.
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