Attacke in Grazer Schule: Zehn Menschen tot

Update: After the rampage in an upper secondary school in Graz with initially nine fatalities, the LKH Graz announced on Tuesday evening that there is another to mourn: It is an adult woman - one of the two seriously injured who were admitted to the hospital. The number of fatalities has now risen to ten. According to State Police Director Gerald Ortner, the perpetrator was a 21-year-old Austrian. The man committed suicide.

In the attack, eleven people lost their lives, seven of the victims were female, three male. The perpetrator committed suicide in a restroom facility. Eleven other people are - some seriously - injured. Neither the police at the press conference nor the Styrian state rescue commander wanted to go into detail about their exact condition. "But it was certainly the most tragic operation of the Red Cross in Styria in the Second Republic," said Peter Hansak to the APA after the media briefing.

Among the dead were students and at least one adult person. The alleged perpetrator is also among them.

Twelve people are - some seriously - injured. Neither the police at the press conference nor the Styrian state rescue commander wanted to go into detail about their exact condition. "But it was certainly the most tragic operation of the Red Cross in Styria in the Second Republic," said Peter Hansak to the APA after the media briefing.

Patient Transport Temporarily Suspended

Hansak emphasized that the Red Cross has so far cared for around 200 parents and relatives as well as 300 students as part of crisis intervention. 40 Red Cross personnel are still on site. A total of 220 Red Cross employees were deployed.

Due to the situation, patient transport was also suspended during the rampage, as is usual in such cases. "All non-essential operations are then scaled back."

According to State Police Director Gerald Ortner, the perpetrator was a 21-year-old Austrian. The man, who committed suicide, used two firearms that he legally possessed. These were a long gun and a handgun.

"We were alerted because of shots and screams in a school," Ortner explained shortly after 3:15 PM to media representatives. Subsequently, a large contingent was immediately mobilized. According to Ortner, over 300 police forces were deployed.

17 minutes later, the forces of EKO Cobra were finally able to restore security after searching the building, explained the Director General for Public Security, Franz Ruf. This allowed the first emergency medical vehicles to arrive within a short time.

According to initial police information, the perpetrator is believed to have acted alone. Media reports suggest that it is a former student who felt bullied. However, the police have not confirmed this yet. Media also reported that he allegedly bought the weapon just a few days earlier and fired in two classes. This has also not been confirmed yet. Other media reported that the perpetrator used a Glock pistol and a shotgun. Both were apparently legally owned by the ex-student.

Victims Taken to Various Hospitals

The victims of the attack were taken to the LKH University Hospital Graz, LKH Graz II/West location, and the UKH. At the LKH, there are seven people, one at LKH Graz II/West location, and four at the UKH accident hospital. The available treatment capacities are sufficient, and the care is proceeding professionally and calmly, according to a first statement from KAGes. From the first alert, all capacities at the clinics were kept available for the care of those affected.

At the university hospital, the teams from the Center for Acute Medicine (ZAM) and the Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery are deployed to care for the injured. There, a total of two adults and five adolescents are being treated. In the afternoon, the condition of two patients was very critical, five are seriously injured, and all were still in the operating room in the early afternoon.

At the UKH accident hospital in the Eggenberg district, three adolescents and one adult are being treated. They have gunshot wounds, including to the legs, according to the press office of UKH Graz. Another victim is being treated at LKH Graz II/West location. Meanwhile, the hospital of the Elisabethinen in the Graz district of Gries reported a higher patient influx in the emergency rooms.

Crisis Intervention Team and Red Cross in Action

By noon, the situation was considered "safe" for the population. Police vehicles slowly withdrew. The Red Cross, however, was still fully operational at noon. Spokesman Stefan Loseries told the media that over 160 Red Cross rescue workers were deployed, with more arriving in the early afternoon. The injured were distributed among several hospitals in and around Graz. Crisis teams met there at noon.

The area around the school remained closed for hours in the morning. "I couldn't leave for two hours," a neighbor told APA on-site on Tuesday. The affected high school was still cordoned off by police during a local inspection on Tuesday afternoon at 5:40 PM. At times, entire streets in Graz were closed during and after the operation on Tuesday. Heavily armed Cobra officers were also stationed and patrolling at the main train station in the afternoon.

The uninjured children and adolescents were partly taken to the nearby Helmut-List-Halle and cared for by the crisis intervention team and the Red Cross. Relatives concerned about their children were sent to the nearby ASKÖ-Halle. This is now the contact point for parents.

Events Canceled Throughout Styria

The Styrian Governor Mario Kunasek (FPÖ) emphasized that all public events in Styria are canceled for the next three days. "Styria is mourning," said Kunasek. As a father, the events affected him deeply.

Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) said it is difficult to find words "for an act that cannot be put into words." "School must be a safe place where children and young people can develop freely." The affected high school will remain closed until further notice. "However, there will be a place at the Helmut-List-Halle where students and teachers can meet and support from school psychology can be accessed," said Wiederkehr. A dedicated hotline has also been set up in this context.

For Graz Mayor Elke Kahr (KPÖ), the deadly attack in a school with multiple fatalities is a "terrible tragedy." She was at the crime scene herself late Tuesday morning, as she informed the APA. Many injured were taken to a hospital.

"All emergency organizations are acting prudently," said Kahr. Some of the children and teachers have meanwhile been brought to the Graz Helmut-List-Halle. Family reunifications are taking place in the ASKÖ-Halle. Crisis intervention team members are on duty.

Kahr requested that classes should take place in the coming days, "but the material should not be the focus." "This must be dealt with first. It concerns us all. Time must be given to process this."

"Many are wondering how to help after a situation like today in Graz. Initially, this can be achieved by calming your family, your children, and taking people's fears and concerns seriously," said Red Cross Federal Rescue Commander Gerry Foitik. However, if you want to help concretely, you can do so by donating blood. The stock levels are currently at a critically low level, it was stated in a release.

The police requested on Tuesday to refrain from publishing photo and video material online out of respect for the relatives and victims as well as the ongoing investigations. Instead, images and videos should be uploaded to the ministry's designated upload platform.

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(APA/Red)

Veranstaltungen in der ganzen Steiermark abgesagt

Der steirische Landeshauptmann Mario Kunasek (FPÖ) betonte, dass in der Steiermark in den kommenden drei Tagen alle öffentlichen Veranstaltungen abgesagt sind. "Die Steiermark weint", sagte Kunasek. Besonders als Vater gingen ihm die Ereignisse sehr nahe.

Bildungsminister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) sagte, es sei nur schwer möglich Worte zu finden, "für eine Tat, die sich nicht in Worte fassen lässt". "Die Schule muss ein sicherer Ort sein, wo sich Kinder und Jugendliche frei entfalten können." Das betroffene Gymnasium werde bis auf weiteres geschlossen bleiben. "Es wird aber einen Ort geben, bei der Helmut-List-Halle, wo sich Schülerinnen und Schüler sowie Lehrkräfte gemeinsam treffen und trauen können sowie Unterstützung durch die Schulpsychologie in Anspruch nehmen können", sagte Wiederkehr. Es sei in diesem Zusammenhang auch eine eigene Hotline eingerichtet worden.

Für die Grazer Bürgermeisterin Elke Kahr (KPÖ) ist die tödliche Attacke in einer Schule mit mehreren Toten eine "furchtbare Tragödie". Sie befand sich am späten Dienstagvormittag selbst am Tatort, wie sie der APA mitteilte. Viele Verletzte seien in ein Krankenhaus gebracht worden.

"Alle Einsatzorganisationen agieren umsichtig", so Kahr. Ein Teil der Kinder und Lehrenden ist zwischenzeitlich in die Grazer Helmut-List-Halle gebracht worden. Familienzusammenführungen finden in der ASKÖ-Halle statt. Mitarbeiter der Kriseninterventionsteams sind im Einsatz.

Kahr ersuchte, dass in den kommenden Tagen zwar Unterricht stattfinden solle, "aber der Stoff nicht im Vordergrund" stehe. "Das muss jetzt zuerst bewältigt werden. Das beschäftigt uns alle. Es muss Zeit dafür gegeben werden, um das zu verarbeiten."

"Viele fragen sich, wie man nach einer Situation wie heute in Graz helfen kann. Zunächst gelingt das, indem man seine Familie, seine Kinder beruhigt, und Menschen mit ihren Ängsten und Sorgen ernst nimmt", so Rotkreuz-Bundesrettungskommandant Gerry Foitik. Wenn man allerdings ganz konkret helfen möchte, kann man das durch Blutspenden. Die Lagerbestände seien aktuell auf einem kritisch niedrigen Niveau, hieß es in einer Aussendung.

Die Polizei ersuchte am Dienstag, die Veröffentlichung von Foto- und Bildmaterial im Netz aus Rücksicht auf die Angehörigen und die Opfer sowie die laufenden Ermittlungen zu unterlassen. Stattdessen solle man Bilder und Videos auf die eingerichtete Upload-Plattform des Ministeriums hochladen.

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