School shooting Austria’s second city of Graz leaves multiple people dead, officials says

Vienna, Austria — Multiple people were killed Tuesday in a school shooting in the Austrian city of Graz, local and federal officials in the European nation said. Police in Graz deployed in force to the school Tuesday after receiving a call about a situation there, initially confirming only that shots had been heard.

The Reuters news agency cited Austria’s national press agency APA as saying nine people were killed, but the Interior Ministry, in a statement, and a police spokesman who spoke with CBS News’ Anna Noryskiewicz on the phone, would only confirm multiple fatalities, without providing an firm figures. 

There was also no immediate information on any injuries or on the status of the perpetrator, but police said in a message posted on social media that the situation was under control and there was not deemed to be any further threat to the public.  

Police spokesperson Sabri Yorgun said earlier that special forces were among those sent to the high school after a call at 10 a.m. (4 a.m. Eastern), and that authorities were working to get an overview of what had happened.

An emergency alarm was triggered at the school, which was evacuated and then thoroughly searched by security forces, according to Austrian media.

Graz, Austria’s second-biggest city, is located in the southeast of the country and has about 300,000 inhabitants.

This breaking news story will be updated.