Austria in Mourning After Graz School Tragedy Leaves Ten Dead

Austria will hold three days of national mourning following the deadly school shooting in the city of Graz, which left ten people dead. The attacker, a 21-year-old former student of the school, took his own life after carrying out the rampage. This is the most fatal incident of its kind in Austria’s recent memory, leaving the country in collective grief and disbelief.

“There is an overwhelming sense of sorrow and devastation across Austria. The entire nation is mourning,” said Vienna-based journalist Martina Shopova-Yanev in an interview with Nova TV. She added that there is still scarce information about the shooter and that his motive remains unknown.

Despite officials stating this was not a terrorist act, the situation in Graz feels very much like one. “People are scared, shaken. There’s a strong atmosphere of terror and panic,” Shopova-Yanev noted. According to her, the attacker had no prior record with police before the shooting. Authorities have found no indication of previous offenses or any known mental health issues.

The gunman, who once studied at the school but did not graduate, carried out the shooting in a classroom where he had previously attended lessons. It was also confirmed that the firearms he used were registered and legally obtained.

Shopova-Yanev emphasized that the authorities have deliberately limited public information about the attacker. The priority, she said, is currently on helping the families of the victims and offering psychological support to the students who were present during the tragedy.