Shooting Rampage in Graz: New Details Revealed

As Michael Lohnegger, head of the State Criminal Office of Styria, explained at a press conference, two survivors were discharged from the hospital. The motive of the 21-year-old former student remains unclear, said Lohnegger. However, it is clear that the perpetrator posted a photo on social media shortly before the act.

21-year-old ex-student posted picture from restroom before shooting spree at Graz school

This involves a picture taken by the perpetrator in the restroom of the affected Graz school, wearing combat boots. The 21-year-old posted it on X (formerly Twitter) just a few minutes before the act. In total, around 30 accounts created between 2019 and 2025 on social media and gaming platforms are linked to him, although it is not definitively clarified which profiles can actually be traced back to the ex-student of the Graz upper secondary school. However, during the investigations, it has at least become clear to Lohnegger that the perpetrator "had a passion for school shootings." The alleged profiles of the perpetrator reported in the media have now been deleted at the request of the police.

Nevertheless, the investigator admitted that his team currently "still has no knowledge of the motive." Media have repeatedly speculated recently that the 21-year-old was bullied as a student at the affected high school. However, there is no concrete knowledge of this so far, Lohnegger continued.

Currently, an evaluation of the perpetrator's mobile phone is still ongoing. The investigations at the crime scene have now been completed. Regarding the number of shots fired, Lohnegger referred to the ongoing investigations on Tuesday, as well as the question of possible accomplices. He added: "There is currently no solid evidence for this." Meanwhile, a total of nine injured people were still in the hospital on Tuesday, two of them in the intensive care unit, but not in life-threatening condition.

Copycats partially arrested

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) said that so far around 50 witnesses have been questioned. This has allowed the crime to be reconstructed quite well, and more has been learned about the perpetrator. A large number of further interviews are planned, but only when the students are ready for them. State Police Director Gerald Ortner referred to around 30 operations for the police following the rampage, specifically in other schools due to copycats who would exploit the situation. Just on Monday, a 19-year-old was identified, arrested, and is now in pre-trial detention in Guntramsdorf, Lower Austria, because he had announced an alleged rampage. Karner emphasized: "This is not a trivial offense."

Lohnegger also spoke of an "alarming" high number of approvals of the act on social media - especially from outside Europe. The State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (LSE) is investigating these cases and aims to identify and report the senders. The head of the investigation group "Luctus" also announced details about the perpetrator's armament on Tuesday: The 21-year-old had a total of five magazines, each with a capacity of 15 rounds for his Glock 19 pistol. Of these, 24 rounds were left in two magazines. He also carried 18 loose rounds for the pistol and 17 rounds for his double-barreled shotgun.

Details on the Perpetrator's Headphones and Glasses

The glasses he wore during the act were optical aids, Lohnegger clarified, and the headphones the perpetrator wore were wired headphones without speaking or Bluetooth function: "He therefore could not have had contact with others." However, an adapter for the mobile phone was found, as well as two earplugs, like those used in shooting training. Whether he wore these during his act is unclear, but it is assumed.

According to Lohnegger, the police upload platform will be closed again on Wednesday. No more files have been uploaded recently. Anyone who still wants to submit something to the police can do so at any police station. About 35 files out of several hundred photos and videos are of "great importance" to the investigators.

Colonel Kurt Kornberger, head of Cobra-South, described the operation of his unit at the press conference. A total of seven Cobra officers were on site and quickly found the perpetrator, allowing the building to be cleared for rescue forces. Many other colleagues came to duty independently and supported the effort. Five helicopters were in operation in total. Peer supports are available for all officers, whether Cobra or patrol officers. They began processing the events on the same day. Additionally, the operation will be analyzed further.

(APA/Red.)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.