‘It could be an active shooter situation,' police sources say
The death toll from Tuesday's school shooting incident in the Austrian city of Graz has risen to nine, including seven students, one adult, and the suspected shooter, according to the Austrian Press Agency.
Mayor Elke Kahr said the shooting took place at a school on Dreierschutzengasse.
"The situation is currently very unclear. It could be an active shooter situation," police sources told the press agency.
The police in the Austrian state of Styria also announced on X that a large-scale operation was launched, involving several task forces, including the Cobra special unit.
According to initial reports, gunshots were heard inside the building around 10 am local time (0800 GMT), prompting a swift evacuation. Students were transported to the nearby Helmut-List-Halle, where they were assisted by emergency psychologists and Red Cross personnel.
Earlier, local media reported that at least five people were killed in the incident.
Citing police sources, the daily Krone reported that the perpetrator was a student at the school and is believed to have committed suicide after opening fire in two classrooms.
The Kurier newspaper reported that one or more firearms were used, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a second perpetrator.
Austria's Interior Minister Gerhard Karner was reportedly en route to the scene.
