JUST IN: 10 killed, 28 injured in Austrian deadliest school shooting

Nine people were killed and at least 28 others seriously injured in a deadly school shooting in Graz, Austria.

According to reports, the incident unfolded Tuesday morning, June 10, 2024, at a high school on Dreierschuetzengasse Street, in what authorities call Austria’s deadliest school attack.

The shooter, a student, allegedly targeted two classrooms before committing suicide in a school toilet, according to local police.

Authorities say the suspect was believed to have been bullied, and may have planned the attack for some time.

The gunfire erupted just before 10am local time, triggering mass panic and a massive emergency response.

Special police forces, including Austria’s elite Cobra tactical unit, were deployed to the scene within minutes.

Students were seen running for their lives, while others barricaded classrooms or hid under desks as shots rang out.

Videos circulating online captured the terrifying sounds of gunfire and scenes of bodies laid on stretchers.

At least 158 paramedics, 65 emergency vehicles, and 31 crisis responders were mobilized during the rescue operation.

Officials confirmed the suspect is among the dead, and the school has since been fully secured.

A disaster alert was issued for local hospitals, with two wards overwhelmed by the influx of injured students and staff.

Victims are receiving emergency care at Helmut List Hall, a nearby events center repurposed as a triage facility.

Family reunifications are ongoing at ASKÖ Hall, as dozens of distressed parents arrive to collect their children.

Graz Mayor Elkhe Kahr described the incident as “a terrible tragedy”, urging calm as investigations continue.

“A crisis team is on duty. Every effort is being made to support the victims and families,” she said.

A teacher told Krone newspaper that she hid in her classroom with students after hearing gunshots from the corridor.

A helicopter was seen circling overhead as heavily armed police combed through the building for additional threats.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker has canceled all appointments and is receiving hourly briefings from Graz officials.

The Interior and Education Ministers are reportedly en route to Graz to assess the situation and coordinate aid.

The tragedy comes just days before the 10-year anniversary of the 2015 Graz car rampage, which left three dead.

Investigators are now focusing on the shooter’s background, motives, and whether warning signs were ignored by school authorities.

This shooting is expected to ignite a national debate over school safety, mental health, and bullying prevention in Austria.

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