Austria School Shooting: Gun Law Debate
- Austria is embroiled in a heated debate over its gun laws following a school shooting that claimed 10 lives.
- Despite Austria's ranking among the safest countries globally, the shooting in Graz has spurred politicians to call for tighter restrictions on private gun ownership. However, interest in firearms...
- Markus Schwaiger, a Viennese gun dealer who also provides training, noted a surge in shooting course sign-ups as the attack.
Austria Gun Law Debate Rages After Deadly School Shooting
Austria is embroiled in a heated debate over its gun laws following a school shooting that claimed 10 lives. The incident, which occurred this week, has prompted renewed scrutiny of the nation’s firearm regulations.
Despite Austria’s ranking among the safest countries globally, the shooting in Graz has spurred politicians to call for tighter restrictions on private gun ownership. However, interest in firearms and enrollment in weapons training courses have together increased.
Markus Schwaiger, a Viennese gun dealer who also provides training, noted a surge in shooting course sign-ups as the attack. he attributed this to concerns that gun laws may soon be tightened.
Austria has a significant number of registered weapons, with over 1.5 million firearms owned by approximately 370,000 people.
Aaron Karp, an industry expert and author with the Small Arms Survey, said Austria has a “strong gun culture” rooted in hunting and sports shooting, particularly in rural areas.He added that Austria has one of the highest rates of small arms per capita in Europe.
Schwaiger believes “rising populism” contributes to the trend, with right-wing politicians exploiting anxieties about global crises. “For twenty years, right-wing populism has been scaring people,” he said, adding that “every crisis causes sales to skyrocket.”
the 2020 European Psychiatry journal published a study suggesting a correlation between the number of weapons and violent deaths in Austria. While EU regulations in 1995 temporarily reduced violent deaths, the 2008 financial crisis seemingly reversed this effect.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said there must be “consequences and changes” following the shooting.
Current Austrian law allows individuals over 21 without a criminal record to purchase handguns after passing an assessment and registering the weapon.
Karp said austria’s psychological testing standards for gun licenses are “very good,” but implementation is a challenge. The Graz shooter, deemed “unfit” for military service after failing psychological tests, still obtained a gun licence and purchased the weapons used in the attack.
“He obviously found a gun dealer and a psychologist who didn’t look too closely,” Schwaiger said. “There is still too much leeway.”
The Green Party has proposed legislation to tighten gun laws. Austrian authorities plan to consult with countries like France,Sweden,and the czech Republic about their experiences with mass shootings.
“But there are cultural differences and each country must chart its own course,” Karp said.
What’s next
The Austrian government is expected to propose new gun control measures in the coming months, balancing public safety concerns with the country’s strong gun culture and the rising demand for firearms.