Seven Minutes: This is How the Rampage Unfolded in Graz School

Approximately 48 hours after the school shooting in Graz, police and the public prosecutor's office announced the current investigation results on Thursday. According to this, the 21-year-old perpetrator entered the main entrance of BORG Dreierschützengasse at 9:43 a.m. with a backpack containing his weapons and ammunition, went to a restroom on the third floor, equipped himself "professionally" there, and started his seven-minute shooting spree.

21-Year-Old Shot Indiscriminately at People with Glock and Sawed-Off Shotgun

At that time, there were 350 to 400 students in the building, as Michael Lohnegger, head of the State Criminal Police Office of Styria, explained at a press conference. The man, who had never previously come to police attention, then shot indiscriminately at people with a pistol, a Glock 19, and a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun. In the end, ten people were dead, nine students and one teacher. The teacher was known to the Styrian from earlier. The woman had taught him back then. He had dropped out of school three years ago after having to repeat the sixth grade.

Before his shooting spree, the 21-year-old had retreated to the restroom on the third floor and retrieved several items from his backpack, Lohnegger described the sequence of events. "He put on a gun belt with a hunting knife and donned both shooting glasses and a headset." He took his two weapons and started his seven-minute shooting spree at 9:57 a.m.

Suicide in Restroom

First, he went from the third to the second floor and opened fire there. He shot indiscriminately at people in a fifth-grade class. Then he went back to the third floor to continue in a seventh-grade class, which was in the room of an eighth-grade class. However, the students had already locked themselves in. The perpetrator then shot several times at the door lock to enter the class and shoot indiscriminately at people again, explained the head of the LKA.

He then returned to the restroom and committed suicide. That was at 10:07 a.m. The first patrol, which arrived at the school at 10:06 a.m., did not notice this shot. Lohnegger emphasized that the perpetrator shot indiscriminately at the students. It apparently did not involve former classmates, and there are no indications that he specifically targeted girls or students with a migration background.

It is currently being investigated whether the 21-year-old was connected to other people with his headset. "In principle, investigations are being conducted for multiple murders and multiple attempted murders. Since the shooter is dead, the focus is on finding out whether there are possible accomplices or confidants," said Arnulf Rumpold, spokesperson for the Graz public prosecutor's office. Therefore, it is important to precisely determine the sequence of events and the motive. A ballistic expert report has been initiated. The data carriers seized during a court-approved house search at the perpetrator's address are being evaluated. Further conclusions are hoped to be drawn from this, Rumpold told the APA.

Meticulous Schedule Found, No Clues on Motive

During the house search, a meticulous schedule was found. The perpetrator had informed himself precisely and thought about when he would target each floor, according to the investigators. However, the discovery does not provide any clues as to why the 21-year-old committed the act specifically on Tuesday.

According to Lohnegger, the perpetrator had enough ammunition with him and could have carried out his plan for much longer. A farewell letter and a farewell video for his family were found during the house search. In them, he apologized for his act and thanked everyone. However, he did not provide any indication of a motive, Lohnegger said. He also showed no emotional movement that could be interpreted.

The pipe bomb found, according to the investigators, had all the components of a functioning bomb. However, the explosive device found was not operational. In addition, handwritten notes with the "planned down to the smallest detail" schedule were found.

Shooting Practice at Sports Shooting Club, Preference for First-Person Shooters

According to Lohnegger, the man passed the psychological test for obtaining a firearms license in March. In early April, he legally purchased the shotgun from a gun dealer in Graz, and at the end of May, he bought the Glock from another dealer in Graz. He received the firearms license in mid-May. From mid-March, the 21-year-old legally attended shooting practice five times with a rental weapon at a sports shooting club in Graz, Lohnegger said.

One of the first to be questioned was a close friend of the perpetrator. According to him, the man lived an introverted and extremely reclusive life. He did not participate in life in the real world but was much more active in the virtual world. There, according to the investigators, he played online first-person shooter games. Which ones exactly could not yet be determined. That will be evaluated first. However, it is a fact that he exchanged ideas in this community and maintained contacts there. Whether there are any accomplices will be investigated.

It is still completely unclear why he committed the school shooting. During his time at the educational institution, he did not stand out negatively, and there were no problems with him. So far, there are also no indications that he expressed anger or resentment towards the school to anyone.

Autopsies of the Victims Already Completed

Meanwhile, the total of eleven deceased were autopsied by the forensic medicine in Graz and Salzburg. All injuries were precisely documented, and clothing was secured. The police assume that the perpetrator traveled from his residence in the Graz area to Graz by train and then walked to the school to start his rampage there. This is not yet confirmed. The exact route from his apartment to the school needs to be traced. It is a fact that the man was recently undergoing vocational training. He attended the fifth and sixth grades of BORG Dreierschützengasse but dropped out after having to repeat the sixth grade. That was three years ago.

For further investigations, the State Criminal Office has assembled a 16-member investigation team named "Luctus." The name is derived from the Latin word for "mourning."

School staff reacted exemplary

Lohnegger emphasized that the school and its staff reacted exemplary - "as planned." There were instructions after the first shots, and a professional response was immediate. For example, classrooms were locked and barricaded. The evacuation also went well. "Without the help of the school, we would have been slower," the head of the LKA stressed.

The investigators were still busy reconstructing the crime on Thursday morning. Data is also being further evaluated. Additionally, the State Police Directorate of Styria stated that copycats continue to challenge the emergency services. Simultaneously, interviews are being conducted - both in the perpetrator's environment and with students, teachers, and other individuals who were in or around the school on Tuesday. According to the police, the number of people still to be interviewed is in the triple digits.

Helmut-List-Halle remains a contact point

The Helmut-List-Halle, provided as a place of encounter and assistance, is also open on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Education, over 200 children and adolescents received psychological support there until late Wednesday afternoon. Parents were also on site and were advised by experts. In total, 30 school psychologists from Styria and other federal states and 46 members of crisis intervention teams were deployed.

The List-Halle is expected to remain available in the coming days. The counseling and support services of the Education Directorate of Styria will continue over the weekend. When BORG Dreierschützengasse will reopen is still unclear - but definitely not this week.

(APA/Red)

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