Authorities reported that a former student opened fire at a school in Austria's second-largest city on Tuesday, killing ten people and injuring twelve others before he took his own life.

The reason for the 21-year-old man's actions is not yet known; he had no previous police record. Police said he used two weapons, which they believe he owned legally.

Speaking to reporters in Graz, a city of around 300,000 people in southeastern Austria, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker stated that today marks a very sad day for the country.

He described it as "a national tragedy that deeply affects us all" and announced three days of national mourning, during which the Austrian flag would be lowered to half-mast at official buildings. A national minute of silence was planned for Wednesday morning to remember those who died.

Special forces were sent to BORG Dreierschützengasse high school, about a kilometer from Graz’s city center, after calls at 10 a.m. reported shots at the building. Over 300 police officers were also sent to the school, which was then evacuated. Videos from the scene showed students quickly leaving the building past armed officers.

Law enforcement officials affirmed that order had been re-established within a 17-minute timeframe.

Police stated that the attacker, a 21-year-old Austrian man who lived near Graz, acted by himself. His name has not been made public.

Regional police chief Gerald Ortner stated that two guns, a long gun and a handgun, were used in the shooting and found at the scene. He also said that the attacker seemed to own them legally. The man then killed himself in a bathroom.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated that the attacker was a former student at the school who had not finished his studies. However, he did not specify when the man left the school or how old he was at the time.

On Tuesday afternoon, Karner stated that six of the people who died were women and three were men, but he did not provide more information. He also mentioned that twelve people were injured. Later, the Austria Press Agency reported that a tenth person, an adult woman, had died from her injuries, according to the state hospital in Graz.

The Austrian Red Cross stated that they sent 65 ambulances and 158 emergency workers to help the injured at the location. Additionally, 40 psychologists who specialize in trauma were counseling students and parents. The Red Cross also asked local people to donate blood.

Metin Özden, who owns a kebab restaurant near the school, first realized something was wrong when he heard police cars speeding by, followed by a police helicopter overhead. He told the Krone newspaper, "I immediately knew that something serious had happened. I've never seen so many emergency services in my whole life." He also described to the newspaper seeing upset parents walking past his restaurant on their way to the school.

Tuesday's violent incident appeared to be the deadliest attack in Austria's history since World War II.

In 2020, an attack in Vienna led to the deaths of four people, including the attacker, who was thought to be a supporter of the Islamic State group. More than 20 other individuals, including a police officer, were injured.

In June 2015, a man caused a tragic incident in downtown Graz, Austria, when he drove an SUV into a large group of people, leading to three deaths and more than thirty people being injured.

Despite its deeply ingrained hunting heritage, Austria maintains comparatively lenient firearms regulations within the European Union.

In Austria, people aged 18 or older can buy some firearms that are reloaded by hand, such as rifles and shotguns, without needing a special permit. Gun sellers only need to confirm that the buyer is not prohibited from owning weapons and that the weapon is recorded in the national weapons register.

It is much harder to get other weapons, like repeating shotguns or semi-automatic firearms, because buyers must have both a gun ownership card and a firearms pass.