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Austria school shooting: Bomb attack plans found at suspect's home | Austria school shooting: Bomb attack plans found at suspect's home |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Police officers walk towards the flat of the 21-year-old suspect | Police officers walk towards the flat of the 21-year-old suspect |
Abandoned plans for a bomb attack have been found at the home of the suspected gunman in a school shooting in Austria, police have said. | Abandoned plans for a bomb attack have been found at the home of the suspected gunman in a school shooting in Austria, police have said. |
Police in the south-eastern city of Graz also found a non-functional pipe bomb, and a "farewell" letter and video during the search, they said in a statement. | Police in the south-eastern city of Graz also found a non-functional pipe bomb, and a "farewell" letter and video during the search, they said in a statement. |
Ten people were killed in the attack at the secondary school on Tuesday - the deadliest in the country's recent history. | Ten people were killed in the attack at the secondary school on Tuesday - the deadliest in the country's recent history. |
The suspect, a 21-year-old former student at the school, took his own life in a school bathroom shortly after the attack, according to police. Authorities have not yet drawn any conclusions on the gunman's possible motive. | The suspect, a 21-year-old former student at the school, took his own life in a school bathroom shortly after the attack, according to police. Authorities have not yet drawn any conclusions on the gunman's possible motive. |
The incident, which left a further 11 people injured, took place at Dreierschützengasse secondary school in the north-west of the city. | The incident, which left a further 11 people injured, took place at Dreierschützengasse secondary school in the north-west of the city. |
Six females and three males were killed in the attack, and a seventh female later died in hospital. | Six females and three males were killed in the attack, and a seventh female later died in hospital. |
The victims were a teacher and nine students aged between 14 and 17, police said. All were Austrian citizens, except for one who was Polish. | The victims were a teacher and nine students aged between 14 and 17, police said. All were Austrian citizens, except for one who was Polish. |
The 11 injured - aged between 15 and 26 - are not in a critical condition, police said. | The 11 injured - aged between 15 and 26 - are not in a critical condition, police said. |
Police said the suspect was born in Styria - the region in which Graz sits - and lived with his single mother, who was also Austrian, in the Graz-Umgebung District. | Police said the suspect was born in Styria - the region in which Graz sits - and lived with his single mother, who was also Austrian, in the Graz-Umgebung District. |
They added that his father, of Armenian origin, had not lived with them since his parents' separation. | They added that his father, of Armenian origin, had not lived with them since his parents' separation. |
Current information suggests the shooter legally owned the two guns used in the attack - a pistol and a shotgun - and had a firearms licence, police said. They added that the guns would be forensically examined. | Current information suggests the shooter legally owned the two guns used in the attack - a pistol and a shotgun - and had a firearms licence, police said. They added that the guns would be forensically examined. |
The gunman, who has not yet been named, did not graduate from the school, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told a news conference earlier. He was not known to the authorities prior to the attack, police also confirmed. | The gunman, who has not yet been named, did not graduate from the school, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told a news conference earlier. He was not known to the authorities prior to the attack, police also confirmed. |
Analysis of evidence and data storage devices will continue over the coming weeks and hundreds of people will be interviewed, they said. | Analysis of evidence and data storage devices will continue over the coming weeks and hundreds of people will be interviewed, they said. |
The incident would be reconstructed to shed light on how events unfolded, police added. | The incident would be reconstructed to shed light on how events unfolded, police added. |
They said police first arrived at the school six minutes after the first emergency call was made at 10:00 on Tuesday, with a rapid response unit and specialist Cobra tactical unit - which handles attacks and hostage situations - arriving by 10:17. | They said police first arrived at the school six minutes after the first emergency call was made at 10:00 on Tuesday, with a rapid response unit and specialist Cobra tactical unit - which handles attacks and hostage situations - arriving by 10:17. |
Styrian police said this quick reaction "appears to have saved several lives". | Styrian police said this quick reaction "appears to have saved several lives". |
Police have increased security measures around schools in the city since the attack. | Police have increased security measures around schools in the city since the attack. |
Speaking in Graz, President Alexander van der Bellen suggested Austria's gun laws could be changed in the wake of the attack: "If we come to the conclusion that the gun law needs to be changed, then we will do so." | |
Local media reports that relatives of the victims and school pupils are being cared for at a crisis intervention centre set up across the road from the school. | Local media reports that relatives of the victims and school pupils are being cared for at a crisis intervention centre set up across the road from the school. |
A teacher there told news agency AFP that he narrowly escaped after finding himself in a corridor with the shooter. | A teacher there told news agency AFP that he narrowly escaped after finding himself in a corridor with the shooter. |
Paul Nitsche, who teaches religion, said that he was working by himself with the door open on the upper floor of the school when he heard gunshots. | Paul Nitsche, who teaches religion, said that he was working by himself with the door open on the upper floor of the school when he heard gunshots. |
The 51-year-old said he then ran out of the room and saw the gunman when he was in the corridor on the floor below. | The 51-year-old said he then ran out of the room and saw the gunman when he was in the corridor on the floor below. |
"He was trying to shoot the door [of a classroom] open with his rifle," he said. "He was busy [...] and I didn't look around much either [...] I didn't hang around." | "He was trying to shoot the door [of a classroom] open with his rifle," he said. "He was busy [...] and I didn't look around much either [...] I didn't hang around." |
Astrid, who lives with her husband Franz in a residential building next to the school, told the BBC she had just finished hanging out the washing when she heard 30 to 40 gunshots. | Astrid, who lives with her husband Franz in a residential building next to the school, told the BBC she had just finished hanging out the washing when she heard 30 to 40 gunshots. |
"We saw one pupil at the window - it looked like he was getting ready to jump out... but then he went back inside," Franz said. | "We saw one pupil at the window - it looked like he was getting ready to jump out... but then he went back inside," Franz said. |
The couple later saw students exiting the school and gathered on the street. | The couple later saw students exiting the school and gathered on the street. |
Watch: Tearful Graz residents light candles at Austrian school shooting vigil | Watch: Tearful Graz residents light candles at Austrian school shooting vigil |
Three days of mourning were declared in Austria following the attack, and a nationwide minute's silence was held on Wednesday at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) in memory of the victims. The Austrian flag has been lowered to half-mast on all public buildings. | Three days of mourning were declared in Austria following the attack, and a nationwide minute's silence was held on Wednesday at 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT) in memory of the victims. The Austrian flag has been lowered to half-mast on all public buildings. |
After the minute's silence in Graz's main square, one woman, Tores, told BBC News that she knew one of the boys who had died. He was 17. | After the minute's silence in Graz's main square, one woman, Tores, told BBC News that she knew one of the boys who had died. He was 17. |
"I've know this family for a long time, including the son of the family, and knew that he attended that school. I rang immediately, to ask if everything is OK. Then they let me know at midday, that the boy was one of those slaughtered," she said. | "I've know this family for a long time, including the son of the family, and knew that he attended that school. I rang immediately, to ask if everything is OK. Then they let me know at midday, that the boy was one of those slaughtered," she said. |
The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in Austria's recent history. | The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in Austria's recent history. |
In 2020, jihadist gunman Kujtim Fejzulai shot four people dead and wounded 23 others on a rampage through Vienna's busy nightlife district. | In 2020, jihadist gunman Kujtim Fejzulai shot four people dead and wounded 23 others on a rampage through Vienna's busy nightlife district. |
Meanwhile, in 2016, a gunman opened fire at a concert in the town of Nenzing, killing two people before shooting himself dead. Eleven other people were injured in the attack. | Meanwhile, in 2016, a gunman opened fire at a concert in the town of Nenzing, killing two people before shooting himself dead. Eleven other people were injured in the attack. |