the Austrian school shooting that claimed the lives of ten individuals was preceded by a chilling act: the shooter, identified as Artur A, snapped a selfie in the Dreierschützengasse high school bathroom in Graz moments before his deadly rampage on Tuesday. Authorities are investigating the motives behind the attack and the shooter’s background.

The unsettling photograph shows Artur A in black military boots and combat trousers, crouched in a stall, seemingly prepared for the attack. He uploaded the image to X, accompanied by a video for his mother and a farewell note. The post went live at 9:43 am, a mere five minutes before he began his assault on nine students and a teacher in two classrooms.

Artur A also posted pictures of his weapons, a Mercury double-barrelled shotgun and a Glock 19 handgun, wiht the caption: “Veeeeerrry early birthday present for myself.” His social media accounts contained references to the Columbine school shooting, including an image of one of the perpetrators with the question: “They look like Monsters to you?”.

Shooter’s Profile and Online Obsessions

Investigators describe the shooter as a loner with an intense interest in online gaming,particularly “Call of Duty” and “Valorant“. His social media activity revealed a disturbing fascination with school shootings.

“Veeeeerrry early birthday present for myself.”

One follower commented “my hero” on an image referencing the Columbine school massacre, where 14 peopel were killed in 1999 by gunmen Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, who then took their own lives. Artur had shared images of firearms on Tumblr in the days leading up to the Graz attack.

The attack itself lasted seven minutes. Artur A fired shots through a classroom door where students had barricaded themselves for safety. The first police units arrived within six minutes of the alarm at 10 am on Tuesday, with Elite Cobra anti-terror officers entering the school 17 minutes later.

the scene they encountered was horrific, with numerous casualties and traumatized survivors. Artur, who claimed to have been bullied, had been planning the attack for months. He shot indiscriminately, even killing a child from his neighborhood. Authorities discovered plans for a bomb attack and a “non-functional” pipe device at his home.

While the suspect did not personally know the students he killed, one of the teachers he shot had previously taught him. Before the attack, he visited a local firing range and was armed with a mercury double-barrelled shotgun and a Glock 19 handgun during the shooting.

Potential Changes to Austria’s Gun Laws

Following the shooting, President Alexander van der Bellen suggested that Austria’s gun laws may be reevaluated. “If we come to the conclusion that the gun law needs to be changed, then we will do so,” he stated.