Austria School Shooting: 10 Dead, Motive Unclear

Graz, Austria, June 11 (AP) – In an unsettling turn of events, investigators have uncovered a farewell letter and a non-functional pipe bomb at the residence of a former student who perpetrated a deadly shooting spree at his old school in Austria. The incident claimed 10 lives before the shooter took his own life, police reported on Wednesday.

As Austria grappled with the aftermath of what is believed to be the deadliest attack in its post-World War II era, the nation prepared for a moment of silence on Wednesday morning. Questions swirled about the assailant's motive, as authorities worked to piece together the tragic sequence of events.

The 21-year-old gunman, a former student of the BORG Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz, had not completed his studies. Residing near Austria's second-largest city, the shooter legally owned the two firearms used in the attack—a shotgun and a handgun.

Police have refrained from providing detailed information on their findings via the social network X. However, a senior official noted the discovery of the farewell letter on Tuesday night, which has yet to yield any definitive conclusions.

“We found a farewell letter in both analog and digital form,” remarked Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria's Interior Ministry, speaking to ORF public television. “He bids farewell to his parents. Yet, no motive is discernible from the letter, necessitating further investigation.” When asked to clarify whether the shooter selected his victims randomly or targeted specific individuals, Ruf indicated that this aspect remains under investigation and refrained from speculation.

Authorities noted that the wounded were discovered on multiple levels throughout the school and, in one instance, outside the building.

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