Grief and anger after the rampage in Graz: legislation under scrutiny!

Grief and anger after the rampage in Graz: legislation under scrutiny!

Yesterday, a tragic school shooting in Graz shocked the Austrian city and the nation. A 21-year-old Austrian broke into the school building with a legally owned Glock pistol and a shotgun, killing at least ten people before taking his own life. The perpetrator's weapons were legally acquired, but there were restrictions on wielding them, as [t-online.de](https://www.t-online.de/nachrichten/panorama/ criminalitaet/id_100762278/amoklauf-in-graz-psychotest-versagen-fragen-zur- Waffengesetzigung.html) reports.

Emergency calls came in around 10 a.m. Tuesday morning about “gunshots and screaming,” police said. The first emergency services arrived at the scene just six minutes after the alarm was reported. The suspected perpetrator was later found dead in a toilet. The city and the school community are now facing a difficult period of grief and shock that this has caused.

Mourning and solidarity in Graz

The sadness for the victims was palpable in Graz. During an evening mass in Graz Cathedral, led by Auxiliary Bishop Johannes Freitag, many people gathered to share their pain with one another. The cathedral was filled to capacity, including representatives from the federal and state governments. A sign in the cathedral portal demanded: “Graz is in check”. Hundreds of people gathered in the main square to form a “sea of ​​lights” to commemorate the victims. Grief and cohesion were omnipresent among the visitors, many hugged each other while crying, as faz.net reports.

Graz, Austria's second largest city with around 300,000 inhabitants, is predestined for such tragic events. The city has a rich history, which is also visible in its architecture through frescoes such as those in Graz Cathedral, which depict plagues and sieges of past centuries.

Questions about gun legislation

The shooting raises pressing questions about gun laws. Despite the legal requirements necessary to obtain a gun ownership license - such as a psychological evaluation and training in the use of weapons - the perpetrator was given permission to own a weapon. This has caused dismay in society, particularly as many see the approval as worrying despite potential signs of instability.

• Psychologische Tests zur Überprüfung der Stabilität des Antragstellers
• Persönliche Gespräche mit Psychologen
• Standardisierte Fragebögen, die auch persönliche Themen und mögliche Vorstrafen behandeln

The gun ownership card that the perpetrator possessed is a prerequisite for legally purchasing a pistol. This shows a significant difference to the stricter gun laws in Germany, where gun ownership cards are hardly issued anymore. While the police are thinking about the exact background and motives of the perpetrator and will need weeks to evaluate the crime, the city of Graz remains in a state of mourning.