Shooting at Austria school: Eight feared dead; suspect a ‘student’ who killed himself

A major police operation is underway in the Austrian city of Graz after shooting in a school left at least 8 people dead and several injured.The suspected shooter, believed to be a student, is reported to have died by suicide after shooting himself in the school toilet, according to Austrian public broadcaster ORF.The incident occurred at the BORG Dreierschützengasse school in northwest Graz, not far from the city’s central train station. Police said they were alerted around 10 am (local time) and shots were heard inside the school building shortly after.Special forces and emergency units responded swiftly to the scene, police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun confirmed.While authorities have yet to officially confirm the number of casualties, state broadcaster ORF, citing local press, said five people were killed and several others injured, including both students and teachers. According to Graz Mayor Elke Kahr, the shooter was among the dead.As per BBC, injured students are being cared for at the nearby Helmut List Hall, an events venue close to the school.Police spokesperson Fritz Grundnig was quoted by ORF as saying that “there may be fatalities,” though details remain fluid. A police helicopter was deployed as part of the response effort.Austrian police confirmed on social media that the shooting took place at a “federal upper secondary school on Dreierschützengasse” and advised the public to stay away from the area and follow instructions from authorities.The police later wrote on social network X that the school had been evacuated and everyone had been taken to a safe meeting point. They further informed that the situation was “secured” and that there is no longer believed to be any danger.Graz, Austria’s second-biggest city, is located in the southeast of the country and has about 300,000 inhabitants.