What we know about the gunman who killed 10 in Austria school shooting

Austria is watching 3 days of nationalist mourning for 10 group killed aft a gunman attacked a precocious schoolhouse successful nan confederate metropolis of Graz.

The incident successful Austria's second-largest metropolis of immoderate 300,000 was nan deadliest wide shooting successful nan Alpine country's caller history.

Police are investigating why nan gunman, identified by authorities arsenic a erstwhile student astatine nan schoolhouse who grounded to graduate, whitethorn person carried retired nan attack.

The perpetrator, identified by Austrian media arsenic "Artur A", had nary anterior criminal record. He reportedly took his ain life successful nan schoolhouse bath aft carrying retired nan attack.

During a hunt of nan alleged perpetrator's house, nan constabulary recovered plans for an explosive onslaught arsenic good arsenic a non-functioning tube bomb.

They besides recovered a integer and handwritten termination statement addressed to nan perpetrator's parents.

"No motive tin beryllium taken from nan farewell missive truthful far," Director of Public Security Franz Ruf told nationalist broadcaster ORF connected Tuesday evening. Local media speculated that years of bullying whitethorn person been a imaginable motive for nan massacre.

By Wednesday morning, nan authority that runs hospitals successful Graz said that each patients were successful unchangeable condition.

Nine were still successful intensive attraction units, pinch 1 needing a further cognition connected a facial coiled and a 2nd connected a knee injury, while different 2 had been moved to regular wards.

Local media study that nan 21-year-old lived pinch his mother. A neighbour told OE24 that “he was wholly introverted.”

Shooter owned 2 weapons

The suspected gunman was successful possession of 2 firearms which were seized by constabulary aft nan attack.

He had legally acquired some weapons and had reportedly passed nan psychological information required successful Austria to get a alleged “Category B” firearm possession card.

In Austria, weapons are traditionally carried for hunting alternatively than for self-defence. Some weapons, specified arsenic rifles and shotguns, tin beryllium purchased from nan property of 18 without a permit.

Other weapons, specified arsenic repeating shotguns aliases semi-automatic firearms, are much difficult to get — buyers request a weapon ownership paper and a firearms pass.

The uncommon shooting, which has led to an outpouring of condolences and daze successful Austria, is apt to punctual a home statement complete whether arms should beryllium restricted, which has much wide weapon laws and precocious backstage weapon ownership comparative to nan remainder of Europe.

The politician of nan metropolis of Graz, Elke Kahr, has already called for a complete prohibition connected backstage weapons. Gun licenses are "issued excessively quickly," she said successful nan aftermath of nan tragedy.

The lawsuit would beryllium examined and gaps would beryllium closed, Ruf said. The perpetrator was not allowed to transportation nan weapons extracurricular of his home, he added.

Local media speculated that nan schoolhouse was unprepared for an onslaught of this scale, fixed that schoolhouse shootings are uncommon successful Austria. Director of Public Security Franz Ruf stated that investigations will beryllium launched to research really schools tin amended instrumentality preventive and protective measures to debar akin tragedies successful nan future.

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called nan calamity "incomprehensible".

"Schools must stay places of bid – places wherever children tin turn and learn," he said.

The authorities added that galore situation involution teams person been group up to support nan victims and their families, including a hotline for those affected.

"The schoolhouse must beryllium a safe spot for everyone, wherever students tin develop. Everyone who needs thief aft today's crime should get help," Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr said.