Police Discover Disturbing Evidence Following Graz Attack
In a significant development following the recent deadly school shooting in Graz, Austria, police have revealed the discovery of abandoned plans for a bomb attack at the home of the suspected gunman.
Investigators searching the residence of the 21-year-old suspect in the Graz-Umgebung District found not only these disturbing plans but also a non-functional pipe bomb and a “farewell” letter and video, according to a statement from police in the south-eastern city.
The Fatal Incident: A Nation Mourns
The tragic events unfolded at the Dreierschützengasse secondary school in north-west Graz on Tuesday. The attack resulted in the deaths of ten people initially, with a further person later dying in hospital, bringing the total death toll to 11. This incident marks the deadliest mass shooting in Austria’s recent history.
The victims included a dedicated teacher and nine students aged between 14 and 17. Police confirmed the fatalities comprised seven females and three males. All those killed were Austrian citizens, with the exception of one who was a Polish national. The attack also left a further 11 people injured.
Suspect Profile and Background Details Emerge
Authorities identified the suspect as a 21-year-old former student of the targeted school. Police reported that the gunman took his own life in a school bathroom shortly after carrying out the attack. As the investigation continues, police have not yet reached any conclusions regarding the gunman’s potential motive.
Details about the suspect’s background were also released. Born in Styria, the region where Graz is located, he lived with his single Austrian mother in the Graz-Umgebung District. His father, who is of Armenian origin, had not lived with the family since his parents’ separation.
Police confirmed that current information suggests the shooter legally owned the two firearms used in the attack – a pistol and a shotgun – and held a valid firearms licence. These weapons are now undergoing forensic examination. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated that the gunman did not graduate from the school and was not known to authorities prior to the attack.
Intensive Investigation Underway
An extensive investigation is currently underway. Authorities are conducting detailed analysis of evidence and data storage devices, a process expected to take several weeks. Hundreds of people will be interviewed as part of the effort to understand the full scope of the incident. Police also plan to reconstruct the events to shed light on precisely how they unfolded.
Police highlighted their rapid response time, noting officers first arrived at the school just six minutes after receiving the initial emergency call at 10:00 on Tuesday. A rapid response unit and the specialist Cobra tactical unit, trained to handle attacks and hostage situations, arrived by 10:17. Styrian police stated that this quick reaction “appears to have saved several lives.” In response to the tragedy, security measures have been increased around schools in Graz.
Austria Pays Tribute to Victims with National Mourning
In the wake of the devastating attack, Austria declared three days of national mourning. A nationwide minute’s silence was observed on Wednesday at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) as a mark of respect for the victims, with the Austrian flag lowered to half-mast on all public buildings.
The personal impact of the tragedy was profoundly felt. In Graz’s main square after the minute’s silence, a woman named Tores shared her grief with BBC News, recounting the moment she learned a 17-year-old boy she knew, who attended the school, was among those killed.
Context: Deadliest Recent Mass Shooting in Austria
The Graz school shooting stands as the deadliest mass shooting Austria has experienced in recent times. Previous notable incidents in the country’s history include the 2020 jihadist attack in Vienna, where a gunman killed four people and injured 23 in the city’s nightlife district. In 2016, a gunman opened fire at a concert in Nenzing, resulting in two deaths before he died by suicide, and leaving 11 others injured.
