Thousands of Austrians gathered in silent solidarity on Tuesday night, lighting candles in the heart of Graz to mourn the 10 lives lost in the country’s deadliest school shooting in recent history.
The candlelight vigil, held in the city’s main square around the Archduke Johann fountain, saw people of all ages, many of them students, unite in grief and reflection following the brutal attack at Dreierschützengasse secondary school earlier that day. The symbolic landmark became a focal point of mourning and resilience, as residents carefully arranged candles on its steps, transforming the area into a sea of flickering lights.
Police said the gunman, a 21-year-old former student of the school who did not graduate, carried out the attack alone before taking his own life in a school bathroom. Armed with a pistol and a shotgun, he killed six female and three male victims on-site. A seventh female victim succumbed to injuries later in hospital, bringing the total number of fatalities to 10. Twelve others were injured.
Authorities confirmed the shooter had no prior police record and legally owned the firearms used in the attack. A farewell note and an inoperative pipe bomb were found during a search of his home. While the motive remains unclear, investigators from the Federal Criminal Office have launched a comprehensive probe.
The massacre has left the Graz community in shock. “This is a national tragedy,” said Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker. “A school is meant to be a safe place, a space for learning, trust, and dreams of the future. Yesterday, that space was violated.”
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner described the attack as a direct blow to the nation’s heart, noting that the school had no reason to anticipate such violence. “We are not living in America. We are in Austria, which has always felt like a safe space,” said journalist Fanny Gasser, reflecting on the unpreparedness of local institutions for such an event.
Eyewitnesses described the harrowing moments during the shooting. “I heard around 30 to 40 shots,” said Astrid, a resident living next to the school. “It was relentless.” Her husband, Franz, added that they saw terrified students attempting to flee through windows before evacuating through a side entrance.
As news of the tragedy spread, Graz residents responded with acts of compassion. Long queues formed at blood donation centres, with citizens eager to help the injured. “I felt helpless with the news. Donating blood felt like the only thing I could do,” said Johanna, 30, who waited in line to give blood.
Austria has declared three days of national mourning. A minute of silence was observed at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, and flags at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna were lowered to half-mast. The school remains closed until further notice.
“This is a moment of shared grief,” said vigil attendee Felix Platzer. “We may not know the victims personally, but as a community, we carry the pain together.”
European leaders have expressed shock, with European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas stating, “Every child should feel safe at school and be able to learn free from fear and violence.”
The tragedy has drawn comparisons to previous attacks, including the 2020 Vienna terror shooting and the 2016 Nenzing concert attack, but it stands as the worst school-related mass shooting in Austria’s recent memory.
As the investigation continues, the nation remains united in mourning, clinging to compassion and community in the face of senseless violence.
Written By Rodney Mbua
