Nick Thorpe
Central Europe correspondent
Report from Glaz, Austria
Watch: Tears of Tears Residents Shoot and Light Candles at Austrian School
Thousands of Austria have kept candlelight for the victims of school shootings that have killed 10 people.
Police say the 21-year-old former student suspect took his life in the school bathroom shortly after a gun attack in Glaz on Tuesday.
In a statement Wednesday, police said they found a “farewell letter” and a pipe bomb that didn’t work while searching for the suspect’s home. Authorities have not confirmed the gunman’s motives.
The incident, which injured 12 more people, took place at Dreierschutzgus Secondary School, northwest of the city.
Six women and three men were killed in the attack, while a seventh woman was killed in the hospital. Austrian APA news agency reports that seven people killed were students.
On a Tuesday night vigil, Graz residents said they wanted to turn the city’s main square into a candle sea. That’s what they did.
In the whispering silence, thousands of most young people gathered in the evening, clenching alone or on their friends’ arms and shoulders. They lighted candles, wept, stood in prayer and contemplation.
They then slowly came to hand over the candles and handed them over to the volunteers who had carefully organized them on the fountain stairs.
The Archbishop of Johann’s Fountain is known as the centre of the old town in front of the city hall. On Tuesday night, it became a symbol of sadness and solidarity for the Austrian people.
“When you hear about it, you have a lot of sympathy for people, maybe you knew someone,” Felix Plazer, a passerby at Villicle, told Reuters.
“This is an example of solidarity, and you’re saddened together and it’s easy to deal with together,” he added.
Three days of mourning has been declared in Austria, and nationwide silence will be held at 10:00 local time on Wednesday to commemorate the victims.
The flag of the Hofberg Palace in Vienna, where President Alexander van der Belen holds his office, flies on the half-mast.
The schools where the attack took place remained closed until notification.
Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker said Tuesday was “a dark day.” [the] The history of our country” and the shootings declared “a national tragedy.”
“School is more than just a place to learn. It’s a space for trust, a space to feel comfortable and have a future,” he told the meeting, adding that this safe place was “violated.”
“In these difficult times, being human is our strongest point,” he said.
The attack “attacks our country at its centre,” Stocker said shortly afterwards.
“These were young people who spent their whole life before them.”
The gunman was a former student
The gunman, who has not yet been named, was a former Dreielschzenges student who had not graduated from school, Home Minister Gerhard Kerner told a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
Kerner added that it is now a job at a criminal office investigating.
Officials also confirmed that the gunman was unknown to police prior to the attack.
Current information suggests that the shooter legally owned the two guns used in the attack and had a firearm license, police added.
Local media outlets report that the suspect used a pistol and shotgun to perform the shooting.
He was an Austrian man from the wider Glaz region who acted alone, police said.
Gunshots are heard and students are evacuated with video filmed at an Austrian school
Police said surgery began at 9:00 local time (09:00 BST) after hearing gunshots from inside the school.
Police said a specialized Cobra tactical force was deployed at the school to handle attacks and hostage situations.
Authorities have evacuated all students and teachers from the building. Police confirmed that schools were secured and there was no further risk to the public.
“I’ve seen people talking to friends who were at school when the shooting happened.
She told BBC News that “everyone knows who.” This is because Graz is “not that big” despite being the second largest city in Austria.
She said the school is likely not ready for the possibility of an attack. “We don’t live in America, we live in Austria. This seems like a very safe space.”
Local Mayor Elke Carr called the incident a “terrifying tragedy.”
European Commission Vice President Kaha Karas said she was “deeply shocked” by the news. “Every child should feel safe in school and be able to learn freely from fear and violence,” she posted on X.
Witness heard gunshots
Astrid, a woman who lives with her husband Franz on the first floor of a residential building next to the school, told the BBC she had just finished her laundry when she heard the shooting.
She said: “I heard the shots. Many of them were, one after the other, “pof … pof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof … poof ….”
“He thought it was probably something else, but I heard we were thinking of a 30-40 shot. Then my husband rang the police.”
“We saw a student in the window – he seemed ready to pop out… but he came back inside,” Franz added that they also saw the teacher.
The pair later saw the students “leave out of school from the first floor and ‘collected on the street’ from the other side. Franz said.
A cue to give blood
By Tuesday afternoon, a long line had formed outside the blood donation center in Glaz.
“Today is a difficult day for all of us in Glaz. I’m here [donate] My blood is my way to help others who need it,” 25-year-old Stephanie Koenig told Reuters.
“I’m here today because I wanted to do something. I felt helpless by the news,” said Johanna, 30.
Another person in line said he was giving blood to Reuters. It felt like “the only way I could help.”
