In brief
Eight days after the tragic school shooting in Graz, Austria, which left nine students and one teacher dead, the government has announced a series of proposed laws aimed at tightening gun control. The measures, outlined by Chancellor Christian Stocker, aim to prevent such tragedies in the future through stricter regulations on private gun ownership.
The proposed laws include increasing the minimum age for owning certain firearms to 25 years, as well as enhancing psychological testing requirements for gun purchases. Additionally, a mandatory four-week waiting period between the purchase and delivery of firearms would be instituted. The government also seeks to improve the sharing of psychological assessment results among relevant agencies.The suspect in last week's attack, a 21-year-old former student of the school, reportedly died by suicide. Police have confirmed that he showed signs of antisocial behavior and once failed a psychological test related to military service. Despite this, he was able to legally purchase the firearms used in the shooting, raising serious questions about the efficacy of existing gun laws.Chancellor Stocker expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, stating, "Nothing we do...will bring back the 10 people we lost," but emphasized a commitment to learning from this painful experience as the government moves to safeguard the public against future incidents.
