The Unimaginable Fall of Ancient Thebes
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A gunman opened fire at an Austrian school on Tuesday, killing at least 10 people and injuring dozens more in what officials have described as Austria’s deadliest peacetime mass shooting in recent history.
The shooting took place around 10 a.m. local time at BORG Dreierschutzengasse, a high school in Graz, the capital of the southern province of Styria. Police said the building was quickly evacuated and secured, and the threat had been contained.
The suspected shooter, identified by Austrian authorities as a 22-year-old former student of the school, is among the dead.
The attacker entered with a pistol and a shotgun and opened fire in two classrooms, including one he had once attended. His body was later found in a bathroom. Police believe he acted alone.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that the victims included six women and three men. At least 30 others were wounded. Officials have not yet specified whether the victims were primarily students, staff, or others present at the school.
School shooting in Graz, Austria
, 10 dead.
Footage of the attack children screaming can be heard after shots fired inside school.
They spend billions on foreign aid
But they can’t keep their own children safe in classrooms,
Their society has broken. pic.twitter.com/f2i8UPrO9x
— Anita Sharma (@anitaklab) June 10, 2025
Mayor Elke Kahr and the Austrian Press Agency confirmed the death toll, which includes the gunman. Local media reported that the shooter had previously been bullied, though police have not commented on a possible motive.
The incident has shocked Graz, Austria’s second-largest city, located about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southwest of Vienna. Known for its universities and historical landmarks, Graz has a population of over 300,000. About one-quarter of its residents are foreign nationals, including many from Croatia, Romania, Germany, and Bosnia.
Chancellor Christian Stocker called the attack a “national tragedy” and announced three days of mourning. “There are no words for the pain and grief that we all—all of Austria—are feeling right now,” he said on X.
Meine Gedanken sind bei den Familien und Eltern, die ihr Kind verloren haben. pic.twitter.com/HDuwUX8wLe
— Christian Stocker (@_CStocker) June 10, 2025
President Alexander Van der Bellen also shared a message of condolence, mourning the loss of young lives and a teacher in the Austrian school incident when the Gunman opened fire. “There is nothing that can ease the pain felt by the parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends of the murdered people at this moment,” he wrote.
— Alexander Van der Bellen (@vanderbellen) June 10, 2025
Emergency services were quick to respond. Ambulances surrounded the scene, and a helicopter assisted in the evacuation. Police designated ASKO Stadium, home to local football club ESK Graz, as a meeting point for parents and guardians.
European leaders expressed solidarity with Austria. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said it was heartbreaking to see a place of learning turn into a scene of violence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy echoed the sentiment, saying schools should never become places of fear.
Austria has experienced several mass shootings in recent decades, including a 2020 attack in Vienna that killed four and injured 23. Gun ownership in the country is relatively high, with about 30 firearms per 100 residents, according to the Small Arms Survey.
However, weapons such as machine guns and pump-action firearms are banned, and owning pistols or rifles requires licenses and approvals. Tuesday’s shooting has reignited concerns in a country where such violence remains rare.
