Shooting spree in Graz: Investigations at the crime scene are ongoing – What we know!

Shooting spree in Graz: Investigations at the crime scene are ongoing – What we know!

On Tuesday, June 12, 2025, a 21-year-old went on a rampage at his former school in Graz. The investigation is in full swing, with the police still busy collecting evidence at the crime scene on Thursday morning. A team of investigators is currently evaluating the data collected and interviewing witnesses, including students and teaching staff. At the same time, the Styria State Police Department warns against free riders who burden the emergency services with additional tasks and may disrupt events.

The reconstruction of the crime has not yet been completed and could last several days, while the school remains closed to the public until further notice. The police have also set up an upload platform where witnesses can upload videos and photos. Material already received includes videos from the classrooms, and witnesses are invited to submit additional content below https://upload.bmi.gv.at/ to provide.

Shooting spree in Hamburg

Another serious incident occurred on March 9, 2023 at the Jehovah's Witnesses community center in Hamburg. During this rampage, the 35-year-old perpetrator, identified as Philipp F., fired more than 100 shots, resulting in a devastating result: seven dead, including a seven-month-old female fetus, and eight others injured, four of whom are in critical condition. Philipp F. ultimately took his own life. The murder weapon, a Heckler & Koch P30, was legally owned and used by Philipp F. since December 12, 2022.

This self-loading pistol is also used by the Bundeswehr and the police. It has no external security system, which makes it quickly ready for use. With a magazine of 15 cartridges, the gunman fired nine magazines. In Germany, a weapon ownership card (WBK) is required for legal ownership of the P30. The responsible authorities, in Hamburg the police, issue this WBK, whereby the applicants must be at least 18 years old and prove reliability.

Legal regulations and social discussions

The discussion about gun ownership is a sensitive topic in Germany, which is brought into sharp focus by tragic events such as school shootings. After the Second World War, there were different approaches to the weapons issue in the former GDR and FRG. In the GDR, private firearms were almost completely banned, while in the Federal Republic of Germany, firearms were very popular in the private sector after 1945. The regulations of the gun law were repeatedly revised in the years after various mass shootings in order to tighten controls and increase age limits for gun ownership.

A key result of this discussion was the introduction of a national weapons register in 2019 in order to better monitor the number of private firearms in Germany. Experts like Prof. Dr. Dagmar Ellerbrock devotes herself intensively to research into civilian gun cultures and the social implications of gun ownership. To meet the increasing demand and associated dangers, a growing awareness of the risks of firearms has emerged, although they have not completely lost their status as a fascinating commodity.

The interplay of these incidents and the public reactions to them shows the complexity of the issue and the urgent need for continued discussion of the issue of gun ownership in society.