Several people killed in school shooting in Austria’s second biggest city, police say

At least eight people were killed and several others injured in a school shooting Tuesday in the southern Austrian city of Graz, local media reported.

A police spokesman in Graz told NBC News that “several people have been killed” at the BORG Dreierschützengasse school, a secondary school located in the northwest of the city.

While the spokesman did not confirm the exact number of fatalities, Austria’s public broadcaster ORF reported that at least one adult and seven students had been killed.

“There is no longer a danger for the public,” the police spokesman said, adding that “the situation is under control.”

In an earlier series of posts on X, Austrian police said that an operation had been underway at the school after several emergency services, tactical units and a helicopter had been deployed to the area.

Police spokesman Fritz Grundnig told Austrian public broadcaster ORF that police evacuated the school building after gunshots were heard.

Those injured included students and teachers, who were taken to the nearby Helmut List Hall events space for emergency care, according to Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung.

A meeting point was set up for the students’ parents at the ASKÖ football stadium, the police said on X.

Police did not confirm whether the suspected perpetrator was among those dead or injured, but said that they were working on the assumption that only one suspect was involved in the shooting.

In a press statement Tuesday, they asked the public to “stay away from the area” and to “strictly follow the instructions of the emergency services.” They added that they had set up a platform for tips or other observations.

The Austrian interior ministry did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

The police spokesman said a press conference was scheduled for later today.