Austria Mourns After a Deadly School Shooting

[ad_1] Regardless that college is out for a minimum of per week, college students saved approaching Wednesday morning, the day after a lethal college taking pictures in Austria surprised the nation.

As a substitute of going into the trendy buildings of their highschool, they walked throughout the road to a protected gathering spot, nicely cordoned off from mourners, well-wishers and reporters.

“What's actually vital now's to speak, to be silent collectively, to hear,” mentioned Paul Nitsche, 51, an evangelical pastor who teaches faith on the college and who was standing on the road in entrance of the mourning space.

On Tuesday, a former pupil killed or fatally wounded a minimum of 10 folks on the college, BORG Dreierschützengasse, in Graz, a quiet and well-to-do metropolis that's Austria’s second-largest, after Vienna. He then appeared to have killed himself in a faculty rest room, the police mentioned.

The police mentioned that the shooter had legally obtained his weapons, a handgun and a shotgun. On Wednesday, the police mentioned that they had discovered a pipe bomb once they searched the shooter’s house on Tuesday afternoon.

It was one of many worst college shootings in Europe prior to now decade.

The Austrian chancellor, Christian Stocker, canceled appointments on Tuesday to journey to Graz and declared three days of nationwide mourning — together with a second of silence at 10 a.m. native time on Wednesday.

The information of the taking pictures shocked Austria, an Alpine nation the place gun possession charges are excessive however gun violence is relatively uncommon.

On Wednesday morning, a headline on the on-line web site of Kronen Zeitung, the nation’s largest newspaper, declared: “The day after the rampage: Austria cries with Graz.”

The state police mentioned that the gunman was 21 and had beforehand attended the varsity however by no means graduated. Six of his victims had been feminine and three had been male, although the authorities haven't launched their names or ages, citing privateness legal guidelines. One other sufferer, a trainer, died later at a hospital.

Exterior the varsity, makeshift shrines of candles, flowers and stuffed animals lined the perimeter of the varsity. Investigators and firefighters had been nonetheless coming into and exiting the premises, however in any other case the varsity buildings had been darkish and quiet.

Lessons are out for the rest of the week as college officers resolve methods to proceed. The summer season break begins in early July, and lots of graduating college students have but to take their last exams earlier than probably happening to college.

“We’re simply speechless — this appears to have come from nowhere,” mentioned Simone Saccon, 20, a college pupil who has spent his complete life in Graz. He lives close to the varsity and was amongst these gathered outdoors on Wednesday. “It’s one thing you think about occurs in main cities or within the U.S., however that it could occur right here?” he added.

Pastor Nitsche was alone in a classroom when he heard the photographs. His first intuition was to cover and wait. “It was as silent as if it was the nighttime,” he mentioned. “Everybody was taking part in lifeless — good.”

After it appeared secure, he mentioned, he ran out right into a hallway the place he noticed the gunman attempting to get right into a locked door by taking pictures at it. As he raced away, he noticed the physique of one of many victims, a younger woman, and saved on working till he noticed the police storming in. “So many uniforms may be actually comforting,” he mentioned.

Based on the police, the gunman killed himself in a faculty bathroom.

Belkez Halici, 39, who lives throughout from the varsity, was making ready for work on Wednesday, tears streaming down her face. She had tried to maintain the information from her three kids, however that they had heard about it on social media, she mentioned, they usually had been upset and scared.

“I’ve all the time mentioned, faculties right here are usually not secure,” Ms. Halici mentioned. “With folks coming and going, it’s like a shopping mall.”