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Key Points

Austria is reeling after a deadly school shooting in Graz left 11 dead, including the attacker. President Van der Bellen declared three days of national mourning, calling it a strike at the country's heart. European leaders, including Ursula von der Leyen, expressed shock over the violence at a place meant for learning. The nation will observe a minute of silence as authorities confirm the shooter was a former student who took his own life.

Key Points: Austria Mourns 11 Killed in Graz School Shooting Tragedy

  • 11 dead in Austria's worst school shooting
  • Suspect was ex-student who died by suicide
  • National mourning and flags at half-staff
  • Minute of silence observed nationwide
2 min read

Austria: 11 killed in school shooting, three-day national mourning announced

Austria declares 3-day national mourning after 11 killed in Graz school shooting, with President Van der Bellen calling it a national tragedy.

"Schools are symbols of youth, hope, and the future. It's hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence. – Ursula von der Leyen"

Vienna, June 11

A three-day national mourning began in Austria after the country was "stricken at the heart" by a mass school shooting.

At least 11 people were killed, including the shooter, in the school shooting that happened in Austria's second-largest city of Graz, according to local media reports on Tuesday. Another 11 were hospitalised with serious injuries.

The school shooting is considered one of the most serious shootings in the history of Austria, the country's largest newspaper, Kronen Zeitung, reported.

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen on Tuesday announced a three-day national mourning and the lowering of the country's flag to half-staff, saying that "what happened today in a school in Graz strikes our country at the heart."

Government leaders, including Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker, Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, gathered in Graz on Tuesday evening at an event in memory of the victims.

"Schools are symbols of youth, hope, and the future. It's hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the social platform X.

According to the Kronen Zeitung, the shooting occurred at the school of BORG in Dreierschutzengasse in the Lend district shortly before 10 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) on Tuesday. Police confirmed the suspected perpetrator as a 21-year-old shooter, who used to be a student at BORG. He is reported to have shot himself dead.

Police have been mobilised in the region, with a helicopter deployed. The school has been evacuated, and further danger is excluded, local police stated on X.

On Wednesday morning, a nationwide minute of silence will be observed at 10 a.m. local time. Public celebrations have been cancelled or postponed, Xinhua news agency reported.

"You don't have words for such things. Austria is such a lovely country. We stay together, we live together, and such tragedies like this today is unbelievable," a resident of Graz said.

- IANS

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Priya K.
Heartbreaking news from Austria. As a teacher myself, I can't imagine the trauma students and staff must be going through. We need to learn from such incidents and strengthen security in our own schools. My prayers for the victims' families 🙏
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Rahul S.
Such incidents show that gun violence isn't just an American problem anymore. Austria is known for its peaceful society - this is shocking! Hope Indian authorities are taking notes about how even developed nations struggle with these issues.
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Ananya M.
The mental health angle needs more attention. A 21-year-old former student doing this? There must have been warning signs. In India too, we need better counseling systems in schools and colleges. #MentalHealthMatters
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Vikram J.
Austria has always been one of the safest countries in Europe. This tragedy reminds us that no place is immune to such violence. The three-day mourning shows how deeply this has affected the nation. Respect to them for coming together in grief.
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Sunita R.
So tragic! 😢 Schools should be safe havens for children. While we mourn with Austria, we must also ask - are our Indian schools prepared for such emergencies? Most don't even have proper fire exits, forget active shooter drills.
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Karan P.
The European Commission President's words really struck me - "schools becoming places of death". We take our children's safety for granted. Maybe time for all nations to review school security protocols globally.

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