Massacre in Graz: The perpetrator's digital secret revealed!

Massacre in Graz: The perpetrator's digital secret revealed!

Today is June 16, 2025. Six days after the rampage by a 21-year-old former student in Graz, in which ten people lost their lives, investigators are faced with the challenge of examining the perpetrator's digital identity. A special investigative group called “Luctus” is working intensively to verify several social media profiles that are attributed to the gunman. The police confirmed that the perpetrator, Arthur A., ​​had various profiles on various platforms. What is striking is that some of these profiles were created after the crime. Shortly after the rampage, investigators received information about these profiles oe24 reports that….

There is still uncertainty about the number of profiles that can be attributed to the young man. However, it was made clear at a press conference that he had become heavily withdrawn into the virtual world, posing additional challenges for investigators. In particular, the authorities have not yet confirmed whether certain photos of weapons and school toilets discovered on social networks actually came from the perpetrator. Michael Lohnegger, the head of the Styrian State Criminal Police Office, emphasized the need for legal options for researching threats on the Internet, as the police in Austria need legal authorization to be able to use automated web crawlers for research.

The rampage and digital traces

The course of the rampage was communicated on social media within minutes. On June 10, 2025 at 9:48 a.m., a picture of A. was published on the Internet, which nine minutes later was linked to the terrible events. The picture shows black boots and black pants on a beige tile floor, possibly in a school toilet profile reports that…. The police confirmed the crime, but did not comment on the authenticity of the picture, which according to “Salzburger Nachrichten” is supposed to be real.

Arthur A. had also created a digital archive with references to other mass shootings in internet forums. An account associated with him contained images of weapons used in the crime and was captioned: “Very early birthday present for myself.” His close association with online first-person shooters, particularly the game “Valorant,” represents another facet of his digital identity. A. was wearing a gaming headset during the rampage, suggesting he may have been communicating with others in real time. However, the police did not want to provide any information.

Psychological and social aspects

The events in Graz not only raise questions about security and surveillance, but also about the issue of digital violence. Digital violence is defined as an act of violence supported by Internet and communication technologies. It can result in analogous violence and has historically led to serious consequences, including the tracking down of individuals bpb reports that.... Digital violence often has a gender-specific component, which comes into play with (ex-)partners or unrequited admirers.

In view of the tragedy in Graz, there is a need to pay more attention to digital violence in the social environment. Interventions following cases of digital violence must take into account the specific characteristics of this form of violence in order to offer those affected the necessary support. The discussion about the legal coverage of digital violence, including the challenges that digital media storage brings with it, is becoming increasingly urgent in society.

But there are also positive impulses in Graz. Two commemorative events are planned for Tuesday, one in the state parliament and an interfaith one in Graz Cathedral. There will also be a live benefit concert on Thursday to fund psychological follow-up care for those affected by the incident.