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Styria mourns the loss: Landtag commemorates the victim of the killing spree
On June 17, 2025, the Styrian state parliament mourns the same as the killing sacrifices in Graz. Politicians emphasize cohesion and weapons law debate.
Styria mourns the loss: Landtag commemorates the victim of the killing spree
On June 17, 2025, the Styrian state parliament recalled in an emotional session of the victims of the killing spree, which took place on June 14th in Graz. Ten people, including nine young people and a teacher, were killed in this tragic incident, which triggered a passionate debate about weapons laws and the youth and the education sector. Landtag President Gerald Deutschmann opens the mourning meeting with a moving minute's silence and emphasized that the state capital was "under shock". MPs mostly wore black clothes and were deeply affected by the tragedy.
In the meeting, political disputes were dispensed with, since many considered it too early to discuss it. The atmosphere was shaped by grief and solidarity. Governor Mario Kunasek promised the community concerned, while other politicians underlined the urgent need for political and social reflection on such violent acts. "We have to stand together," said Kunasek and emphasized the importance of listening in crisis situations.
stricter weapons laws in focus
The killing spree has also got the avalanche of demands for stricter weapons laws rolling. Member of the Bundestag such as Niko Swatek from Neos called for an urgent review and tightening of the existing regulations. "The transfer of information between the authorities must be improved," said Swatek. According to the current weapons law in Austria, adult EU citizens with residence may acquire firearms; A fact that experts like arms dealer Markus Schwaiger describe as risky. He pointed out that registration and waiting times for shotguns are minimal and that psychological exams often do not offer comprehensive security, since there is only a diarrhea of five percent.
The government is now planning changes that are intended to increase the minimum age for gun ownership and stricter psychological tests. Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) said that these measures should be decided next Wednesday. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner also calls for a better data exchange between authorities to ensure that people with psychological problems, such as the gapist from Graz, have no access to weapons.
grief and reflection
the four -day state act in Austria, also with flags on half mast, illustrated the national grief of the shocked community. Politicians like SPÖ boss Max Lercher and Green Club Chairman Sandra Krautwaschl spoke about the cohesion in times of grief. In the meantime, Manuela Khom, deputy governor, expressed the pain of the parents, whose children were lost in the tragedy. She and other MPs could not hold back their tears.
The tragedy in Graz, which was triggered by the actions of a 21-year-old perpetrator, who was legally owned by a pistol and a shotgun, raises serious questions. Despite the existing psychological hurdles, the perpetrator, who was previously considered mentally unstable, was able to gain access to fatal weapons. The correspondence between the incident and the applicable weapons laws will continue to be discussed in detail in order to prevent future tragedies of this kind.