Austria Proposes New Gun Laws After Tragic School Shooting

In the wake of the tragic shooting in Graz that took the lives of nine students and a teacher, the Austrian government has introduced a series of legislative proposals aimed at reforming gun ownership laws. The proposed measures include raising the minimum age for owning firearms from 21 to 25 years, enhancing the psychological evaluation process for potential gun buyers, and implementing a mandatory waiting period of four weeks before the delivery of any newly purchased firearms. Additionally, authorities are seeking to improve the sharing of psychological assessment results between government agencies.

Chancellor Christian Stocker expressed deep sorrow over the incident, emphasizing the importance of learning from this devastating event. The perpetrator, a former student of the school who had recently dropped out, was reported to be antisocial and had a history of failing psychological evaluations required by the military. Despite these red flags, he legally acquired the guns used in the attack—a modified Glock pistol and a shotgun. The tragic incident raises serious concerns surrounding the effectiveness of current gun control measures in Austria, pushing the government to take decisive action to prevent future violence.