Pictured for the first time is holding a cat, 21-year-old Arthur A. Image: Sabrina Penty and James Reynolds/Daily Mail.
(The Post News)– The gunman behind Tuesday’s tragic school shooting in Graz, Austria, has been identified as Artur A.
Artur is a 21-year-old former student who reportedly dropped out of BORG Dreierschutzengasse secondary school—the same school he returned to on Tuesday morning, June 10, with deadly intent. The attack has since been labelled Austria’s deadliest school shooting, claiming the lives of nine teenagers and one adult and leaving several others injured.
Artur could be described as a loner who, according to reports, had little to no social ties except one friend. He lived with his mother in a low-income housing estate on the outskirts of Graz and was not involved in any clubs, extracurricular activities, or online communities. Officials have confirmed he did not maintain social media accounts and was largely invisible to those around him.
In an interview with Heute, Kalsdorf mayor Manfred Komericky described the shooter as someone who “felt like a ghost”, adding, “No one really knew who he was.” Neighbours echoed this sentiment, portraying him as inconspicuous and quiet. “He was a quiet guy—you never would have expected something like this from him,” one neighbour said.
Although he had no criminal record, Artur legally owned both a shotgun and a pistol—the same weapons he used during the attack before ultimately taking his life. In their search for a motive, authorities discovered plans for an explosive attack, as well as a non-functioning pipe bomb.
They also found a suicide note addressed to his parents and a video directed to his mom in which he pleaded for forgiveness for his upcoming actions. Upon discovering the 24-minute video, Artur’s mother alerted the police, but it was already too late.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, thousands of Austrians gathered for a candlelight vigil to honour the victims, the youngest of whom was just 14 years old. While media speculation has pointed to bullying as a potential motive, officials have not confirmed this and say investigations into Artur’s motive are still ongoing.
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