Central Europe Correspondent
Austria has held a minute of silence for 10 folks killed in a college capturing, after 1000’s gathered for a candlelight vigil for the victims on Tuesday night.
Police mentioned the 21-year-old suspect, a former pupil, took his personal life in a college toilet shortly after the gun assault in Graz on Tuesday – the deadliest within the nation’s latest historical past.
In an announcement on Wednesday, police mentioned they discovered a “farewell letter” and a non-functional pipe bomb throughout a search of the suspect’s house. Authorities haven’t confirmed the gunman’s motive.
The incident, which left an extra 12 folks injured, passed off at Dreierschützengasse secondary faculty within the north-west of town.
Six females and three males have been killed within the assault, and a seventh feminine died later in hospital. Austria’s APA information company has reported that seven of these killed have been pupils.
Three days of mourning have been declared in Austria, and a nationwide minute’s silence was held on Wednesday at 10:00 native time in reminiscence of the victims. The Austrian flag has been lowered to half-mast on all public buildings.
After the minute’s silence in Graz’s essential sq., one lady, Tores, advised BBC Information that she knew one of many boys who had died. He was 17.
“I’ve know this household for a very long time, together with the son of the household, and knew that he attended that college. I rang instantly, to ask if every thing is OK. Then they let me know at noon, that the boy was a kind of slaughtered,” she mentioned.
“What occurred yesterday is totally terrible, the entire of Austria is in mourning,” she mentioned. “That is horrible for the entire of Austria.”
On the vigil on Tuesday evening, Graz residents mentioned they wished to show town’s essential sq. right into a sea of candles, and that’s what they did.
Within the whispering silence, 1000’s of largely younger folks gathered over the course of the night, alone or clutching the arms or shoulders of their associates. They lit candles, cried, or stood for some time in prayer or contemplation.
Then they slowly got here ahead handy candles to volunteers who organized them rigorously on the steps of the fountain.
The Archduke Johann fountain is named the center of the outdated city of Graz, in entrance of town corridor. On Tuesday evening it grew to become an emblem of the grief, and solidarity, of the folks of Austria.
“While you hear about it, you may have a lot sympathy for the folks, perhaps you might have identified somebody,” Felix Platzer, a passerby on the vigil, advised the Reuters information company.
“That is an instance of solidarity and also you grieve collectively and collectively it’s simpler to manage,” he added.
The varsity the place the assault passed off will stay closed till additional discover.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker mentioned Tuesday was a “darkish day in [the] historical past of our nation” and declared the capturing a “nationwide tragedy”.
“A faculty is greater than only a place to study – it’s a area for belief, for feeling comfy and for having a future,” he advised the convention, including this protected place had been “violated”.
“In these troublesome hours, being human is our strongest level,” he mentioned.
The assault “strikes our nation proper at its coronary heart”, Stocker mentioned within the rapid aftermath.
“These have been younger individuals who had their complete lives forward of them.”
Gunman was former pupil
The gunman, who has not but been named, was a former Dreierschützengasse pupil who did not graduate from the college, Inside Minister Gerhard Karner advised a information convention on Tuesday afternoon.
Karner added it was now the job of the legal workplace to research.
Officers additionally confirmed the gunman was not identified to police earlier than the assault.
Present info suggests the shooter legally owned the 2 weapons used within the assault and had a firearms licence, police added.
Native media shops have reported the suspect used a pistol and a shotgun to hold out the capturing.
He was an Austrian man from the broader Graz area who acted alone, police mentioned.
Police mentioned they started an operation at 10:00 native time (09:00 BST) after gunshots have been heard from inside the college.
A specialist Cobra tactical unit – which handles assaults and hostage conditions – was deployed to the college, police mentioned.
Authorities evacuated all pupils and academics from the constructing. Police confirmed the college had been secured and there was no additional hazard posed to members of the general public.
“Regionally, now we have seen folks crying on the streets, speaking to associates which have been on the faculty when the capturing occurred, who’ve perhaps misplaced a pal,” mentioned Fanny Gasser, a journalist for the Austrian each day newspaper Kronen Zeitung.
She advised BBC Information “everyone is aware of someone” on the faculty as a result of Graz – regardless of being the second-largest metropolis in Austria – is “not that huge”.
She mentioned the college was probably unprepared for the potential of an assault. “We aren’t dwelling in America, we live in Austria, which looks like a really protected area.”
Native mayor Elke Kahr known as the incident a “horrible tragedy”.
European Fee Vice-President Kaja Kallas mentioned she was “deeply shocked” by the information. “Each baby ought to really feel protected at college and be capable of study free from worry and violence,” she posted on X.
Witnesses heard gunshots
Astrid, a lady dwelling along with her husband Franz within the floor ground flat of the residential constructing subsequent to the college, advised the BBC she had simply completed hanging out the washing when she heard gunfire.
She mentioned: “I heard photographs. Plenty of them, one after the opposite. ‘Poof… poof… poof…. poof… poof…’ many times. I went into the flat to my husband and I advised him: ‘Somebody is capturing!’
“He thought it was perhaps one thing else, however we heard I reckon 30 to 40 photographs. Then my husband rang the police.”
“We noticed one pupil on the window – it seemed like he was on the point of leap out… however then he went again inside,” Franz mentioned, including in addition they noticed a trainer.
The pair later noticed the scholars had “obtained out of the college on the bottom ground, from the opposite aspect” the place they “gathered on the road”, Franz mentioned.
Queues to offer blood
By Tuesday afternoon, lengthy queues had fashioned exterior a blood donation centre in Graz.
“At the moment is a tough day for all of us in Graz. I am right here to [donate] my blood to assist different individuals who want it,” 25-year-old Stephanie Koenig advised Reuters information company.
“At the moment I am right here as a result of I wished to do one thing. I felt helpless with the information,” Johanna, 30, mentioned.
One other particular person standing in line advised Reuters giving blood felt just like the “solely approach doable to assist”.
