GRAZ, Austria (BN24) — Eight people, including the suspected shooter, were killed Tuesday in a mass shooting at a high school in the southeastern Austrian city of Graz, local authorities confirmed.
Mayor Elke Kahr described the incident at BORG Dreierschützengasse high school as a “terrible tragedy,” according to the Austria Press Agency. Among the dead were seven students and one adult. Several others sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals, though the extent of their injuries was not immediately disclosed.
Authorities received an emergency call at approximately 10 a.m. local time, prompting a swift response from police and special forces. Heavily armed units arrived on the scene and began clearing the premises.
By 11:30 a.m., police announced via social media platform X that the school had been fully evacuated and that all individuals had been relocated to a designated safe area. Officials said the situation had been “secured,” and there was no ongoing threat to the public.
The suspected perpetrator was also found dead at the scene, though police have not yet confirmed whether the individual died by suicide or during the police response. The motive behind the shooting remains under investigation.
The attack has shaken the city of Graz, Austria’s second-largest urban center with a population of roughly 300,000. Located in the country’s southeast, Graz is known for its universities and cultural institutions.
Officials have not released the identities of the victims pending family notifications. The Austrian Interior Ministry is coordinating with local law enforcement and counterterrorism units to determine how the shooting unfolded.
Classes at the school have been suspended, and grief counseling services are being made available to students, staff, and families affected by the tragedy.
