Close Menu
The Politics
    What's Hot

    News Wrap: Court considers Trump’s California National Guard deployment

    June 17, 2025

    Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing

    June 17, 2025

    Anne Burrell, Food Network star, dies at 55

    June 17, 2025
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Demos
    • Politics
    • Buy Now
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    The Politics
    Subscribe
    Tuesday, June 17
    • Home
    • Breaking
    • US
    • World
      • Africa
      • Americas
      • Asia Pacific
      • Europe
      • Middle East News
    • Politics
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Jobs
    • Health
    • Sports
      • Live Score
        • Live Football Score
        • Live Cricket Score
    • Tech
    • Weather
    The Politics
    Home»Europe»Grief and shock in Austria’s second city
    Europe

    Grief and shock in Austria’s second city

    Justin M. LarsonBy Justin M. LarsonJune 16, 2025No Comments4 Mins Read
    Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest Copy Link LinkedIn Tumblr Email VKontakte Telegram
    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Copy Link


    Bethany Bell

    BBC News in Graz

    Watch: Austria in shock after school shooting in ‘safe and peaceful place’

    There is shock, sadness and disbelief in Graz, after the worst shooting in modern Austrian history left 11 people dead, including the gunman.

    “We never could have imagined that this could have happened here, in our place. It’s a sad day for the whole city,” said Reka, who lives close to the school.

    For many years, Austria had been spared the pain of mass school shootings.

    But that all changed at about 10:00 on Tuesday when a former student ran amok at a secondary school in the Dreierschützengasse, close to the main station in Austria’s second largest city.

    Morning classes were under way when the attack took place. Some students at the school would have been taking their final exams.

    It took police 17 minutes to bring the situation under control.

    By the time it was over six female victims and three males had died. Hours later, a seventh female victim, an adult woman, died in hospital. Several others remain in hospital, some with critical injuries.

    The gunman, a 21-year-old Austrian citizen with two firearms, took his own life at the school.

    A former pupil who never passed his final exams, he is reported to have seen himself as a victim of bullying.

    A woman with red hair and sunglasses looks at the camera

    Reka, who lives near the school, said nobody in Graz could have imagined such an attack

    Local resident Reka told me she couldn’t understand how an attack like this could have happened in her well-ordered city.

    “This area is quiet, safe and beautiful,” she said. “People are nice, the school is good.”

    Austria’s President Alexander Van der Bellen said: “This horror cannot be put into words. What happened today in a school in Graz, hits our country right in the heart. These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher who accompanied them on their way.”

    He said there was “nothing at this moment that can alleviate the pain that the parents, grandparents, siblings and friends of those murdered are feeling”.

    Map of Graz and school

    Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker, who rushed to the scene with the Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, called it “a national tragedy, that had shaken the entire country.” He said there were no words to describe “the pain and grief that we all – the whole of Austria – is feeling”.

    Three days of mourning have been declared in Austria. Flags on the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, where President van der Bellen has his office, will fly at half-mast.

    Austria has one of the most heavily armed civilian populations in Europe, with an estimated 30 firearms per 100 persons, according to the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project.

    But school shootings here are rare. There have been a few incidents over the years that have involved far fewer casualties:

    • In 2018 a 19-year-old was shot by another youth in Mistelbach, north of Vienna
    • In 2012 in St Pölten, a pupil was shot dead by his father
    • In 1997, in Zöbern, a 15-year-old killed a teacher and seriously injured another
    • And in 1993 a 13-year-old boy in Hausleiten seriously injured the head teacher and then killed himself.

    Austria’s most violent gun attack in recent years took place in the heart of Vienna in November 2020. Four people were killed and 22 injured when a convicted jihadist ran through the centre of the city opening fire, before he was eventually shot by police.

    Machine guns and pump action guns are banned, while revolvers, pistols and semi-automatic weapons are allowed only with official authorisation. Rifles and shotguns are permitted with a firearms licence or a valid hunting licence, or for members of traditional shooting clubs.

    The Graz gunman is understood to have owned both firearms legally, and he had no criminal record. One of his guns was bought only the day before the attack, according to one report.

    Outside the school, a young man on a bicycle watched as the police allowed security vehicles through the security cordon round the school.

    “It’s horrific,” he told me. “This is my home. I can’t understand how so many people my age are dead. This shouldn’t happen here.”



    Source link

    Related

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email Telegram Copy Link
    Justin M. Larson
    • Website

    Related Posts

    Europe

    Belgian prosecutor seeks to try ex-diplomat over Congolese hero’s killing

    June 17, 2025
    Europe

    Spain’s government blames huge blackout on grid regulator and private firms

    June 17, 2025
    Europe

    Venice activists plan to disrupt Jeff Bezos’s wedding

    June 17, 2025
    Europe

    Spotify’s Daniel Ek leads investment in defense startup Helsing

    June 17, 2025
    Europe

    Salernitana players in hospital with food poisoning before relegation play-off against Sampdoria

    June 17, 2025
    Europe

    Vinicius Jr: Four handed suspended prison sentence for hate crimes against Real Madrid winger

    June 17, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    • Africa
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Breaking
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Entertainment
    • Europe
    • Health
    • Live Cricket Score
    • Live Score
    • Middle East News
    • Politics
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Tech
    • Top Featured
    • Trending Posts
    • US
    • Weather
    • World
    Economy News

    News Wrap: Court considers Trump’s California National Guard deployment

    Justin M. LarsonJune 17, 20250

    In our news wrap Tuesday, a federal appeals court heard arguments over Trump’s deployment of…

    Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing

    June 17, 2025

    Anne Burrell, Food Network star, dies at 55

    June 17, 2025
    Top Trending

    News Wrap: Court considers Trump’s California National Guard deployment

    Justin M. LarsonJune 17, 20250

    In our news wrap Tuesday, a federal appeals court heard arguments over…

    Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing

    Justin M. LarsonJune 17, 20250

    An Afghan man who worked alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan was detained…

    Anne Burrell, Food Network star, dies at 55

    Justin M. LarsonJune 17, 20250

    Chef and popular Food Network television host Anne Burrell has died, the…

    Subscribe to News

    Get the latest sports news from NewsSite about world, sports and politics.

    Advertisement
    Demo
    Editors Picks

    Review: Record Shares of Voters Turned Out for 2020 election

    January 11, 2021

    EU: ‘Addiction’ to Social Media Causing Conspiracy Theories

    January 11, 2021

    World’s Most Advanced Oil Rig Commissioned at ONGC Well

    January 11, 2021

    Melbourne: All Refugees Held in Hotel Detention to be Released

    January 11, 2021
    Latest Posts

    Queen Elizabeth the Last! Monarchy Faces Fresh Demand to be Axed

    January 20, 2021

    Review: Russia’s Putin Sets Out Conditions for Peace Talks with Ukraine

    January 20, 2021

    Review: Implications of San Francisco Govts’ Green-Light Nation’s First City-Run Public Bank

    January 20, 2021
    Advertisement
    Demo
    Editors Picks

    News Wrap: Court considers Trump’s California National Guard deployment

    June 17, 2025

    Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing

    June 17, 2025

    Anne Burrell, Food Network star, dies at 55

    June 17, 2025

    G7 leaders agree on AI adoption, critical minerals, but not Ukraine

    June 17, 2025
    Latest Posts

    Queen Elizabeth the Last! Monarchy Faces Fresh Demand to be Axed

    January 20, 2021

    Review: Russia’s Putin Sets Out Conditions for Peace Talks with Ukraine

    January 20, 2021

    Review: Implications of San Francisco Govts’ Green-Light Nation’s First City-Run Public Bank

    January 20, 2021
    Advertisement
    Demo

    Your source for the serious news. This demo is crafted specifically to exhibit the use of the theme as a news site. Visit our main page for more demos.

    We're social. Connect with us:

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    Your source for the serious news. This demo is crafted specifically to exhibit the use of the theme as a news site. Visit our main page for more demos.

    We're social. Connect with us:

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube

    Your source for the serious news. This demo is crafted specifically to exhibit the use of the theme as a news site. Visit our main page for more demos.

    We're social. Connect with us:

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube
    Latest Posts

    News Wrap: Court considers Trump’s California National Guard deployment

    June 17, 2025

    Afghan ally detained by ICE after attending immigration court hearing

    June 17, 2025

    Anne Burrell, Food Network star, dies at 55

    June 17, 2025
    © 2025 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.