On Tuesday, a former student shot people at a school in Austria's second-biggest city. Ten people died and 12 people were hurt. The student then killed himself, officials said.

We don't know why the 21-year-old man did it. He had never been in trouble with the police before. Police said he used two weapons, and they think he owned them legally.

Christian Stocker, the leader of Austria, told reporters in Graz that it was a sad day for their country. Graz is a city in southeast Austria with about 300,000 people.

He said it was "a very sad event for the country." He announced three days of national sadness, and the Austrian flag would be put halfway down at official buildings. On Wednesday morning, people would be quiet for one minute to remember those who died.

At 10 AM, someone called the police because they heard gunshots at a high school. The school is called BORG Dreierschützengasse, and it is about one kilometer from the center of Graz. Special police went to the school. More than 300 police officers were there, and they helped all the students leave the building. Videos showed students quickly walking out, past police officers with guns.

Police announced that safety was back in 17 minutes.

Police said that the attacker was a 21-year-old man from Austria. He lived near Graz and seemed to have acted alone. The police did not say his name.

Gerald Ortner, the local police boss, said the shooter used two guns, a rifle and a pistol. Police found the guns at the place where the shooting happened. It seems the man was allowed to own the guns. He killed himself in a bathroom.

Gerhard Karner, the Interior Minister, said the shooter was a student at the school but did not finish his studies. Karner did not say when the man left the school or how old he was.

Karner said on Tuesday that six women and three men died, but he did not give more details. He said twelve people were hurt. Later, a hospital in Graz said that another woman died from her injuries, as the Austria Press Agency reported.

The Austrian Red Cross said they sent 65 ambulances and 158 workers to help people who were hurt. Also, 40 psychologists are helping students and parents who are sad. The Red Cross is asking people to give blood.

Metin Özden was at his kebab shop close to the school when he heard police cars driving fast and a police helicopter. He told the Krone newspaper, “I knew something bad had happened. I have never seen so many emergency workers before.” He also told the paper that he saw parents walking past his shop, crying as they went to the school.

Tuesday's violence was probably the worst attack in Austria since World War Two.

In 2020, four people died in Vienna after a shooting. The person who did it was a supporter of the Islamic State group, and he died too. More than 20 other people were hurt, including a police officer.

In June 2015, a man drove his car into many people in Graz. Three people died, and more than 30 people were hurt.

Austria has a long history of hunting. Its gun laws are not very strict compared to other countries in the European Union.

In Austria, you can buy some guns like rifles when you are 18 or older. You don't need special permission for these guns. You have to load them again after each shot. Shops just need to check that you are allowed to have a gun. Then, they write down the gun's details in a main list.

It's harder to get other guns like repeating shotguns or semi-automatic guns. You need a gun ownership card and a firearms pass to buy them.