Austria plans to tighten gun control rules after school shooting

Austria plans to tighten its gun control laws following its deadliest school shooting in Graz, where a 21‑year‑old former student killed ten people before taking his own life.

Under current regulations, the shooter legally owned both a shotgun and a Glock pistol; the latter required a permit available from age 21 and a basic psychological test. Following a cabinet meeting, the government announced it would raise the minimum permit age to 25, introduce more stringent psychological evaluations, and extend the mandatory “cooling‑off” period for firearm purchases to four weeks. Permit holders will now also be subject to an eight‑year expiry requirement.

Additionally, assessments carried out during military service will be shared with permit authorities, and a separate permit category for those under 25 is under consideration.

Beyond gun access rules, Austria will bolster psychological support and monitoring in schools and maintain heightened police presence through the remainder of the school year.

via Reuters