Austrian School Crisis Stirs Calls for Tougher Gun Laws
Austria to strengthen gun regulations following trampling rush incident
Off the top of the Vienna wire—the Austrian administration has lined up new gun regulations in the pipeline, following a dreadful school shooting in the southern city of Graz. Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) declared on ORF radio that tightening gun control is on the agenda, mentioning age restrictions on firearm purchasers and fortifying psychological assessments needed to obtain a gun license. The government will be making decisions on the proposed reforms next week.
On Earth Day this year, tragedy struck when a 21-year-old former student went on a rampage at his old school, armed with a handgun and a homemade shotgun. In the chaos that ensued, nine students, a teacher, and the gunman lost their lives. Both the firearms in question were legally under the attacker's ownership, with the shooter passing a psychological evaluation to procure a pistol license. It was later discovered that he had been rejected for military service due to psychological instability in 2021.
Austria has been known for its lenient gun laws, with relatively few hurdles in the path for shotgun acquisition, while pistol licenses are necessary with approval from a psychological evaluation—which the shooter managed to secure. Here's a glimpse into the current gun regime in Austria:
Guns Galore: The Austrian Gun Regime
Austria's gun laws, framed by the Weapons Act, classify firearms into four categories: prohibited weapons (category A), firearms subject to authorization (category B), firearms subject to registration (category C), and other firearms (category D).
- Category B Weapons: These include pistols and semi-automatic rifles, which demand a firearms license or authorization for possession. License holders are also allowed to carry these weapons in public.[1][2]
- Category C and D Weapons: Rifles and shotguns can be purchased from the age of 18, but must be registered within six weeks. These sales are subject to a cooling-off period of three days.[1][3]
- Qualifying Conditions: To own a weapon legally, one must be of legal age, have a permanent residency permit, not have a weapons ban, and meet specific conditions specific to the weapon's category, like reliability, training, and justification for ownership.[1][3]
In the wake of the Graz school shooting, Austria is eyeing stricter gun regulations, including stricter eligibility criteria for gun ownership and tighter rules for purchasing firearms.
The Great Debate: Tightening the Grip on Gun Control
A national discourse on gun control has erupted, fueled by the Graz school tragedy and calls for strengthened restrictions. Possible adjustments include revisions to the psychological evaluation process for gun ownership, stricter age limits, and limiting reasoning for gun acquisition.[4][5]
These proposed changes aim to address the criticism of Austria's existing gun laws, which have come under scrutiny in light of the recent incident.
Following the Graz school shooting, Austria is considering stricter gun regulations, including revising the psychological evaluation process for gun ownership, setting stricter age limits, and limiting reasons for gun acquisition. These changes are aimed at addressing the criticism of Austria's current gun laws in the aftermath of the tragic incident, and fall under the broader topics of policy-and-legislation and politics within the general news category, with crime-and-justice being an indirectly related aspect due to the shooting incident.
