Shooting spree in Graz: perpetrator shoots ten people – video confused!

Shooting spree in Graz: perpetrator shoots ten people – video confused!

A shocking school shooting in Graz left the nation in fear on Tuesday morning. The 21-year-old perpetrator, a former student at BORG Dreierschützengasse, opened fire on students and teachers, killing ten people before taking his own life. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the morning, has sparked a wide-ranging discussion about safety in schools and the growing violence among young people. Meanwhile, numerous videos linked to this tragedy are circulating on social media, causing much confusion and speculation.

Disturbing images are making the rounds. A video showing a gunman shouting “Allahu Akbar” was falsely presented as part of the Graz shooting spree. However, this material actually shows an incident from Vienna-Floridsdorf that took place at the end of May. These were shots that were presumably fired with a blank pistol. Fortunately, the incident in Vienna ended without any injuries, although a larger police operation was necessary due to the blank gun. Details such as the skate park and the Floridsdorf train station could be clearly recorded and proven that this is a separate event. This is reported by, among others Small newspaper.

Unclear motives and false information

The perpetrator in Graz, who legally owned the weapons, left a suicide note, the contents of which have so far been kept secret. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) commented on the speculative discussions about the gunman's motives and emphasized that one could only speculate about the background. This raises questions about the circumstances that could have led to such a violent attack.

Numerous videos and images, including an image of the American comedian Sam Hyde, were mistakenly linked to the Graz attacker. This misinformation was particularly spread by pro-Kremlin platforms such as “ura.ru,” which shared the false material with the hashtag #Graz shortly after the incident. The Vienna police repeatedly confirmed that these videos had nothing to do with the tragic incident in Graz.

Violence in schools and prevention measures

In view of the shocking events, there is also a strong focus on violence in schools throughout Austria. Recent studies show that 36% of 14- to 18-year-old respondents experience violence at school. These findings and other alarming statistics show how widespread bullying and violence are among young people. A planned school shooting in Styria was recently foiled, raising concerns about school safety.

• 36 % der Jugendlichen berichten von Gewalt in der Schule
• 11 % fühlen sich in der Schule unsicher
• 28 % wurden bereits gemobbt

Education Minister Martin Polaschek announced that he would carry out targeted prevention work and introduce safety officers for schools. In addition, cooperation with the police has increased to counter extremist mindsets and improve the school climate. What is particularly noteworthy is that 112,000 students will take part in workshops on extremism prevention in the future.

The combination of a tragic incident that has caused deep sadness over the loss of life and the ever-increasing challenges facing schools raises many questions. It is to be hoped that the ongoing discussions about safety and prevention bear fruit so that such acts become a thing of the past.