Graz school assassin: online active with fatal signs!

Graz school assassin: online active with fatal signs!

Graz, Österreich - The Graz school assistant Arthur A. was active in the digital world until the end, which would present the investigators with new challenges. In the analogue world, the 21-year-old had reports from Exxpress.at hardly any social contacts. Instead, he was very present with at least a dozen social media accounts on various platforms. Among them are X (Twitter), Tumblr, YouTube, Steam and other websites used by gamers and e-sports enthusiasts.

Arthur A. was active in e-sports teams and had a long history in the gaming community. His user course on Steam goes back to 2015, his activities have been documented up to the last days before the assassination attempt. He was involved in competitions in games such as Valorant and Call of Duty. It is striking that his user profile on B3.GG has references to his membership in Valorant-e-Sport-Clans.

macabre's gift and frightening symbols

On the day of the attack, Arthur A. posted a photo of himself on one of his X-accounts, which shows him in black clothes and jumping boots. He also published a picture of his weapons on Tumblr the day before - a sawn -off shotgun and a Glock 19 - with the appropriate name: "A very early birthday present". This macabre gift refers to his upcoming 22nd birthday on June 23.

The online presence of the assassin also included the glorification of past school battles, in particular the 1999 Columbine massacre. underline.

online radicalization in focus

The investigation into Arthur A. also lag a light on the broader context of online radicalization. According to the bpb.de use the Internet increasingly for communication, recruitment and spreading of propaganda. The anonymity that the Internet offers enables uncontrolled and rapid spread of extremist content, which are particularly attractive for young people.

The distribution of extremist -motivated content takes place via social networks, videos, music and other formats that enable an emotional address. Extremists often link their messages to current social debates, which increases the risk that young people identify with extremist ideology.

Investigations set up

The investigators are to recognize a connection between the digital radicalization of Arthur A. and the real consequences of his actions. There are questions about the extent to which warning signs were recognizable online. The isolated lifestyle of the assassin, combined with his high activity in the gaming world and on social media platforms, indicates a pattern of digital radicalization. According to youthundmedien.ch , extremist ideologies often spread in the form of entertainment or political statements, which makes recognition more difficult.

The tragedy in Graz urgently shows how important it is to take the dangers of online radicalization seriously and take suitable measures to ensure the safety of young people.