Gunman Leaves Haunting Video for Mom Before Killing 10 in Chilling High School Rampage

GRAZ, AUSTRIA — A 21-year-old former student stormed his old high school Tuesday morning, unleashing a massacre that left 10 people dead, including teens and a teacher, before turning the gun on himself — and authorities say he left a farewell video for his mother before the carnage.

The horrifying school shooting unfolded just after 10 a.m. at BORG Dreierschützengasse in Graz, a city in southeastern Austria. The shooter, who had once attended the school but reportedly failed to graduate, arrived heavily armed with a shotgun and a pistol — weapons he legally should not have possessed, according to local police.

“He should not have been allowed to carry them under any circumstances,” police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun confirmed.

Final Words to Mom Before the Bloodshed

Authorities say the shooter left behind a chilling suicide note and a pre-recorded goodbye video sent directly to his mother. “It was a calculated attack,” an Austrian law enforcement source told local media. “He left nothing to chance. The video message, the bomb plans, the weapons — it was all premeditated.”

In addition to the video and note, a non-functional pipe bomb was found during a search of the suspect’s residence. Investigators also discovered what appeared to be blueprints for a much larger bombing attack that, thankfully, never came to fruition.

Victims Mostly Teenagers

The Austria Presse Agentur (APA) reported that the victims included seven girls and three boys, aged between 15 and 17. A teacher was also killed in the rampage. Several other students remain hospitalized with serious injuries.

The gunman reportedly died by suicide inside a school bathroom as police closed in. His identity has not been officially released, and officials say a motive remains unclear. However, investigators are working to reconstruct the events leading up to the massacre, interviewing traumatized students and combing through the shooter’s digital footprint.

A Nation in Shock

Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker addressed the country in a somber press conference, declaring, “This is a dark day in the history of our nation. Our hearts break for the families.” He ordered three days of national mourning to honor the victims.

Candles and flowers now line the school’s outer walls, forming a makeshift memorial as the city — and the nation — reels from the shock.

Troubling Questions Remain

How did a 21-year-old man, reportedly unqualified to own weapons, manage to build a personal arsenal? How was he able to plan such a deadly attack undetected? And why did he choose to target the very school he once attended?

Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation, with crime scene reconstruction expected to take several days. “We still have many more students to speak with,” said Yorgun. “This will take time.”

The Styrian State Police Directorate has yet to comment on the full scope of what they recovered from the shooter’s home.

For many in Graz, a quiet city suddenly turned into a crime scene, the trauma may last far longer than any official mourning period.