Ten killed in school shooting rampage

Massacre by 'bullied' ex-pupil carrying rifle and handgun

- By Giles Sheldrick Chief Reporter

EIGHT Austrian schoolchildren, a teacher and another adult are thought to have been gunned down in an act of cold-blooded revenge by a failed student.

A former pupil thought to be harbouring a grudge killed six females and three males in a 17-minute rampage at the school in Graz, before turning a weapon on himself in a toilet block.

Authorities said an adult died in hospital last night, bringing the toll to 10. Another is in a life-threatening condition.

One line of inquiry is the unnamed shooter, 21, carried out the massacre with two legally owned weapons as retribution for being bullied at Dreierschutzengasse high school.

Twelve others were wounded in the country's worst gun atrocity.

Interior minister Gerhard Karner confirmed yesterday that the gunman was a former pupil who had failed to graduate.