Chancellor Christian Stocker called Tuesday “a dark day in our country’s history” and described the shooting as “a national tragedy.”
Austria’s APA news agency reported that seven of the ten fatalities were students.
Police said the operation began at 10:00 a.m. local time after gunfire was heard inside the building. A Cobra tactical unit—specialized in handling attacks and hostage situations—was deployed to the scene.
All students and staff were successfully evacuated, and authorities confirmed that the building had been secured, posing no further risk to the public.
Graz Mayor Elke Kahr described the shooting as “a terrible tragedy.”
European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas expressed her shock, posting on X: “Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence.”
This incident now stands as the deadliest mass shooting Austria has experienced in recent decades.***