Overview

• The attacker was a 21-year-old former student who entered Bundesoberstufenrealgymnasium Dreierschützengasse with a pistol and a shotgun before killing himself after a seven-minute rampage.
• Authorities confirmed he passed a firearms-licensing psychological evaluation this spring despite being ruled unfit for military service in 2021.
• Officials have launched a review of Austria’s permissive gun laws after learning that minimal requirements allow most adults to acquire shotguns or rifles.
• German-speaking Europe’s schools are reassessing security protocols, including controlled access points, alarm systems and regularly updated emergency plans.
• Education ministries are also seeking to increase the number of school psychologists and social workers to detect warning signs and intervene earlier