Artur A, 21, asked for his mother’s forgiveness for ‘what I’m about to do’ before he went on to kill 10 people in a school shooting in the Austria city of Graz
The Austrian school massacre gunman begged his mum to take care of his cat in a video message before he killed 10 people. Artur A, 21, was pictured for the first time yesterday – holding the pet – as it emerged he asked for his mother’s forgiveness for “what I’m about to do”.
By the time she saw the video, he had already carried out Tuesday’s rampage at his former school in Graz. A non-functional pipe bomb and a note were uncovered by police at his home. Pals suggested the attack could be an act of revenge after he failed the sixth- form exam and quit school. In the “farewell letter”, he reportedly said he had felt bullied.
The killer was armed with a legally-owned Glock pistol and a shotgun when he stormed BORG Dreierschützengasse high school. He killed a female teacher, 59, and nine pupils aged 14 to 17 before taking his own life in a toilet, local media reported.
Lea Bajrami, 15, originally from Kosovo, was among the dead in the worst massacre in Austria’s recent history. Her aunt Muhabi posted a picture of her and wrote: “With a broken heart and great pain, we inform family, friends that our niece, Lea Ilir Bajrami tragically lost her life in the attack in Graz, Austria.
“We pray for her soul and express our gratitude to all those who share our pain in these difficult times.” Lea was one of six girls killed alongside three boys in the bloodbath in two classrooms in south-east Austria.
Hana Akmadzicis, 15, was the second victim to be named. Her uncle Ilhad said: “She was my child, not just my niece. A flower of paradise. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
The gunman was not known to police, and a motive is yet to be confirmed. Shocking footage showed pupils fleeing the scene as heavily armed police entered the 400-pupil school and helped evacuate students from the building.
Officials said 28 people were injured, 12 of them seriously, with two said to be critical. One was reportedly shot in the head. A minute’s silence was held yesterday at the start of three days of national mourning.