At least 10 killed in Austria school shooting by ex-pupil

Former student. 21. opened fire before taking his own life.

- ALEX CROFT and ALASTAIR JAMIESON

A former pupil opened fire at a school in Graz yesterday, killing 10 people and then himself in what Austria’s chancellor called a “dark day in the history of our country”.

The 21-year-old was armed with two guns, both of which he had a licence for, police said. His motive was not yet known. Students and teachers barricaded themselves in classrooms or fled, according to eyewitnesses.

More than 300 police officers were called to the Dreierschutzengasse school in the city centre at 10am, where they found the bodies of six females and three males, interior minister Gerhard Karner said. A 10th victim, an adult, was taken to hospital with critical injuries but died later.

The shooter killed himself in the school toilets. The Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper said in an unconfirmed report that the suspect had been a victim of bullying. Armed with a pistol and shotgun, he opened fire on pupils in two classrooms, one of which had once been his own, it said.