In the apartment of the perpetrator Arthur A. discovered a farewell letter
Austria and the international public were shaken by a tragic event in the morning, shooting at the Bundes-Oberstufenrealgymmasium Dreierschützengasse in Graz, which has already been labeled one of the worst mass shootings in Austria’s history. The police were informed about 10 hours, according to eleven deaths – including the perpetrator who committed suicide after the act – and 12 wounded, including students and teachers.
As he published in the evening Kronen Zeitungduring a house search of a house in which the perpetrator-a 21-year-old former student of this school-lived, discovered his farewell letter. In it, he said, wrote that he feels a victim of violence. The perpetrator was cited in this medium as Arthur A. In the past, he has not yet been addressed for criminal acts.
The peas of the mayor Elke Kahr and Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner In the afternoon, they initially confirmed that there were ten deaths of ten: eight students, one adult and also a shooter who had taken his own life. Later, the Austrian media also announced that the fight for life in the hospital was lost by another seriously injured.
Several seriously injured persons are currently being treated at the LKH Clinicum Clinicum Graz, at the LKH Graz II/WEST location and at the UKH Hospital. In total, as many as 300 students and 200 parents were supplied, and the Red Cross sent 220 staff to help.
About 300 police officers participated in the police campaign.
Photo: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
Acted alone, after a shooting march committed suicide
They guessed any other perpetrators or accomplices, but reportedly Crowned zeitung Karner refuted this afternoon: « I can confirm that it was a lonely perpetrator, » he said. The background of the incident and the cause of him remain unknown for now.
After citing Orf He was the perpetrator of a former student and victims of peer violence, and two types of weapons were used in the attack: a short and long pistol. Initially, the media wrote about a 22-year-old former student, in the afternoon police provided new information that the perpetrator was a young, 21-year-old Austrian citizen from the Graz area. He attended school, but did not finish school.
The weapons he used was legally owned, confirmed at a press conference director of state police Gerald Ortner. They are currently forensically reviewed. Police also announced that the perpetrator had judged himself after the shooting march on the school toilet.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker has declared three days of mourning. It is a national tragedy, he said at a press conference in Graz. In the next three days, flags on all public buildings in the country will be displayed in half a pole. On Wednesday at 10 am. The victim of the attack in Austria will be remembered by a minute’s silence, according to the Austrian news agency A told Stocker.
According to the mayor of Graz, it is a horrible tragedy. She was herself at the time of an attack at the scene, she told about A. In doing so, she urged that the lessons should be normal in the coming days, but should not be at the forefront. “This tragedy, the attack, must first be processed. It takes time. ”She said that it is crucial that no one is left alone in these bad times.
A large -scale police campaign is underway. Photo: Erwin Scheriau/AFP
“National tragedy that shook our country”
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker labeled the attack as a « national tragedy that deeply shaken our entire country » and rated the act as « incomprehensible violence », his words summarize Guardian. « There are no words for the pain and sadness we currently feel in Austria, » he said.
He expressed condolences to the families of the affected and thanked the rescue services for their response. “Today it is sympathy. And for being here for each other. In these difficult times, humanity is our strongest force, « he stressed. Chancellor is still expected today at the scene of the tragic event.
Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen also made a statement in which he said that this horror could not be described in words. What happened today at school in Graz has moved the country to the heart. These were young people who had a lifetime in front of them. Nothing can alleviate the pain that parents, grandparents, relatives and friends of murdered people feel at the moment. Austria is mourning. ”He added that Austria would hold together to end that pain and show that their power was in connection.
Newspaper Die Presse wrote that the attack is probably the worst shooting attack in Austria’s history.
There is no danger, the situation is under control. Photo: Erwin Scheriau/AFP
The situation is under control
Photo: Erwin Scheriau/AFP
The school building was evacuated and there are several police units and special units of Cobra on the spot.
Graz police officers informed that they had secured the scene and that there was no further danger, the situation was under control.
The evacuation of the school building ended around 11.30. Students and teachers were temporarily installed in the Helmut-List Hall. Parents are asked to report to the Askö Stadium in Graz Eggenberg for further information and assistance, where a crisis intervention group is also established.
A spokesman for Austrian Red Cross is for public broadcaster Orf said that there are more than 160 people at the scene, including emergency medical physicians, ambulances and ambulances, and their number is increasing. There are also 65 ambulances from eight Styrian districts in the rescue.
Two information centers were established for the students of the school and relatives affected in the attack.
Police call for residents to avoid the area around the school and follow the instructions of the security forces. Interior minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) headed to the scene in the morning.
Austrian police reported that the shooting happened at the high school at Dreierschützengasse, in the northwest of Graz, not far from the main train station, writes the BBC. Photo: Erwin Scheriau/AFP
Austrian Kronen Zeitung wrote that the incident happened just before the tenth anniversary of the Graz attack in 2015, « which many people remember today », in which three people died and 36 were injured. At the moment, nothing indicates that the attack is connected.
Photo: Erwin Scheriau/AFP
Slovenia expresses condolences after the deadly shooting at the Graz School
President of the Republic Nataša Pirc Musar Today, on the X network, she said condolences when shooting at a school in Graz, Austria, and in the afternoon there is also an internal minister Boštjan Poklukar expressed regret. As he said, he expressed his condolences to Austrian colleague Gerhard Karner and offered him help if he needed it. The level of threat has not changed in Slovenia and remains at the middle level, he added.
Also Minister of Higher Education Igor Papič reported that the event deeply regrets.
“On behalf of our country, I impose sincere condolences to families and nearby victims. We share with them sadness, pain and disbelief, « said the president of the country, who was deeply shaken and saddened by the shooting.
Papič, however, said on the sidelines of a visit to Novo mesto today that he was deeply regretted by shooting, and noted that this kind of violence is happening closer to Slovenia. « We are aware that we are not immune in this part of Europe as well, and we usually reported these events from other parts of the world, » he said.
He recalled that in the last year, the Ministry of Education and the Higher Education, together with the Ministry of the Interior, had signed special agreements on the protocol, how to act in such cases – « of course, in the hope that we will never need it. »
Many European leaders have already expressed condolences to the tragic event. President of the European Commission Ursula von der leyen She wrote in the X -network post that “my thoughts with victims, their families and friends are. Schools are symbols of youth, hope and future. It is difficult to transfer when schools become places of death and violence. ”She also thanked the rescue services during these difficult times.
Minister Vinko Logaj: Slovenian schools are safe but preventive should be handled daily
« It can be argued that Slovenian schools are safe, but preventative behavior is needed every day, » Minister of Education and Education responded in a press event in the tragic event in Graz, among other things Vinko Logaj From expressed his sincere condolences to all the families and relatives of the victims of « this inadmissible event ». He called on teachers, parents and principals to pay attention to all kinds of events at the end of the school year, when the estimates are higher, and try to act « in the most relieving environment in the school space. »
« We have all security protocols in the Slovenian school space for such events, » he added, adding that they also carried out training of principals to handle such events.
According to the minister, schools had evacuation exercises, and a few days ago, the ministry, together with the Interior Ministry and the Police, was tested by the notification protocols. « However, it should be emphasized that if this event happened today in a neighboring country, we must be very attentive to prevent a similar event in Slovenia, » he concluded, urging preventative behavior every day.
Slovenian Organization of Slovenia for More Care for Youth in Need
The event in Graz was also deeply shocked by the Student Organization of Slovenia, which points out that it has raised numerous questions about the safety of young people and the broader social causes of such tragedies, from mental health of young people, peer violence, social exclusion and lack of support and understanding of ruling structures for young people. Slovenia is no exception.
The event reminds the necessity of measures for greater safety of young people, say and urge schools and competent institutions in Slovenia to increase the mental health of students, prevent violence and strengthen support for young people in need.
They suggest that a day of grief be declared in Slovenia – as an expression of sympathy and reminder that we must create a safe and inclusive environment for all young people.
