A Student Opened Fire On His Former School In Austria, Killing 10 People In The Country’s Worst Mass Shooting

The rampage lasted seven minutes, before the 21-year-old attacker shot himself in the head 10 minutes after beginning the attack.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025

A gunman opened fire at his former high school in Graz, Austria, on Tuesday, June 10, killing 10 people, mostly students, and injuring 11 others in the worst mass shooting in the country’s history.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
People light candles at a school where a shooting took place. (Photo by Matej Povse/Getty Images)


The rampage lasted seven minutes, before the 21-year-old attacker shot himself in the head 10 minutes after beginning the attack.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
School students gather and mourn. (Photo by Matej Povse/Getty Images)


He had entered the school earlier carrying legally purchased weapons — a pistol and a shotgun — and opened fire indiscriminately on the building’s second and third floor.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen (R) and first lady Doris Schmidauer. (Photo by Matej Povse/Getty Images)


One witness told the BBC they heard 30 to 40 shots and saw students escaping through the ground floor and gathering on the street.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
People gather in the main square to observe a minute of silence in honour of the victims. (Photo by Matej Povse/Getty Images)


Another student told local media she initially thought the shots were firecrackers, “but then there was screaming, and we ran.”

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
A woman leaves a candle at a makeshift memorial site near the school. (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH/AFP via Getty Images)


The victims include nine students aged between 14 and 17, and one former teacher.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
People light candles at a makeshift memorial site. (Photo by ERWIN SCHERIAU/APA/AFP via Getty Images)


Local police said that the attacker had no prior criminal record but was deeply involved in online first-person shooter games.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
(Photo by ERWIN SCHERIAU/APA/AFP via Getty Images)


Police later found signs of careful planning in his house including discarded plans for a bomb attack, a non-functional pipe and a farewell letter and video.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
Women stand at the makeshift memorial. (Photo by GEORG HOCHMUTH / APA / AFP)


While Austria has seen school attacks and mass shootings before, none have been on this scale.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
(Photo by Askin Kiyagan/Anadolu via Getty Images)


The government has declared three days of national mourning in response to the tragedy.

austria worst school shooting graz 2025
(Photo by ERWIN SCHERIAU/APA/AFP via Getty Images)

You Might Also Be Interested In

A Gunman Opened Fire On A School In Sweden, Killing 10 People In The Worst Mass Shooting In The Country’s History
The attack happened at a school for people who did not complete their primary or secondary education.
A Gunman Opened Fire On A Czech University, Killing 14 People In The Country’s Worst Mass Shooting
Police said the gunman was a student at the university, who later killed himself after he was surrounded by police.