Even if the school was open for at least a week, students shocked the country on Wednesday morning, the day after the deadly school shooting in Austria.
Instead of entering the modern building of high school, they crossed the road and arrived at a protected gathering site connected to the mourners, blessingers and journalists.
“What is really important now is to talk, stay silent, listen,” said Paul Nitsche, 51, an evangelical pastor who teaches religion at school and stands in front of the mourning area.
A former student killed or deadly 10 people at the school Tuesday at the Borg Dreierschützengasse in Graz, a quiet and affluent city, Austria's second largest city after Vienna. Police said he then appeared to have committed suicide in the school bathroom.
Police said the shooter legally obtained his weapon, a pistol and a shotgun. Police said Wednesday that when they searched the shooter's home on Tuesday afternoon, they found a pipe bomb.
This is one of the worst school shootings in Europe in the past decade.
Austrian Prime Minister Christian Stocker canceled his appointment to Graz on Tuesday and announced three days of condolences, including a silence at 10 a.m. Wednesday.
News of the shooting shocked Austria, a high-ranking country with high gun ownership rates but relatively rare gun violence.
On Wednesday morning, the title of the online website of Kronen Zeitung, the largest newspaper in the United States, announced: “The day after the rampage: Austria and Graz cried.”
State police said the Gunner was 21 years old and had attended school before but never graduated. His six victims were female and three were male Although the authorities have not released their name or age under privacy laws. Another victim was a teacher who later died in the hospital.
Outside the school, temporary shrines with candles, flowers and stuffed animals line up around the school. Investigators and firefighters are still entering and exiting the house, but otherwise the school building is dark and quiet.
The course is for the rest of the week as school officials decide how to proceed. The summer vacation begins in early July, and many students who are about to graduate have not taken the final exam before they can go to college.
“We’re just speechless – it seems to be everywhere,” said Simone Saccon, 20, who spent his whole life in Graz. He lives near the school and is the one who gathered outside on Wednesday. “This is what you imagined to happen in a major city or the United States, but will this happen here?” he added.
Pastor Nitsche was alone in the classroom when he heard the camera. His first instinct is to hide and wait. “It's like it's late at night, it's silent.” “Everyone is killing – smart.”
He said after looking safe, he ran to a hallway where he saw the gunman trying to lock the door by shooting. While he was running, he saw a victim, the body of a young girl, and ran until he saw the police rushing in. “So many uniforms are really comforting,” he said.
According to police, the gunman committed suicide in the school bathroom.
Belkez Halici, 39, lives across from the school and is preparing to go to work on Wednesday, tears flowing down her face. She said she tried to keep the news from her three children, but they had heard of it on social media and they were frustrated and scared.
“I keep saying that schools here aren't safe,” Ms. Harrycy said. “With people coming, it's like a shopping mall.”
