The King and Queen have shared an emotional statement to the victims and families affected by the school shooting in Austria that has claimed the lives of 11 people
King Charles and Queen Camilla have issued a personal message to those affected by the school shooting in Austria that has claimed the lives of 11 people. On Tuesday, the Dreierschützengasse secondary school in the town of Graz was targeted by a gunman, believed to be a 21-year-old former student who did not finish their education.
Nine people died during the active shooting in the school, with six females and three males – including the alleged shooter – confirmed by police to be among the victims. In the aftermath of the tragedy, two more victims sadly died in hospital from their wounds, bringing the death toll to 11. Dozens of other students and teachers were also injured during the attack.
As a message of support, King Charles issued a statement today to say he and Camilla were “deeply shocked and saddened” to hear about the horrific situation, and offered their thoughts and prayers to those affected.
The statement read: “My wife and I were deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the appallingly tragic events at the Dreierschűtzengasse school in Graz. Schools should be places of sanctuary and learning, which makes this horrific attack on students and staff all the more dreadful.”
“Our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of all those affected by this terrible loss of life and injury. We send our deepest sympathy to all Austrians at this profoundly distressing time.”
The statement was posted on X by the official royal family account, with the post receiving a flood of comments, praising the monarch’s support for their friends and allies in Austria.
At the time of the attack, Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker called the mass shooting “a dark day in the history of our country” and announced three days of state mourning for the nation.
As an investigation into the shooting continues, a spokesperson for the Austrian police said the suspect was an Austrian national who owned the weapons legally, and was not known to police before the attack.
Since the attack, devastated locals in Graz have pulled together for their community, with murals and huge flower tributes lining the grounds of the Dreierschützengasse school, while other residents rushed to donate blood to help those in hospital recovering from their injuries sustained during the shooting.
Videos of the moment the gunman started his attack have been shared online, with neighbours of the school also confirming they heard gunshots and screaming coming from the school grounds, before students began trying to flee the premises. According to the BBC , the shooting could be the deadliest attack in Austria’s history since World War II.
