Chancellor Stocker continues his address to the nation by saying that the country stands still in these moments of shock.

He expresses his condolences to the families and parents who have lost a child in the shooting today.

Stocker says we have to show unity in moments like this, adding that schools should be a safe place.

"In these difficult hours, being human is our strongest point," he adds.

The chancellor thanks emergency services.

Image source, Reuters

The Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker starts the news conference by addressing all Austrians and people living in the country.

He says today is "a dark day in [the] history of our country" and calls the school shooting in Graz a national tragedy.

You can also follow this news conference by pressing watch live above.

We're about to hear from Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker at a news conference that's set to start at 15:15 local time (14:15 BST).

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr are also expected to .

Stay with us as we prepare to bring you key lines from there.

You can also keep across updates by pressing watch live at the top of this page.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's "thoughts are with everyone affected and the people of Austria", his official spokesman says.

The spokesman adds that there's an ongoing police investigation, but the PM will give an update "when I can comment further".

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

From across Austrian society and beyond, there has been an outpouring of shock and sadness at the killing of children and others inside a school on a Tuesday morning.

• Chancellor Christian Stocker has led the reaction, speaking of a national tragedy that has torn young people from the future lives they had ahead of them
• President Alexander Van der Bellen has said the horror could not be put into words and that while Austria is mourning, "we stand together"
• The governor of Styria (the Austrian state that Graz is the capital of) has said he was deeply saddened as both governor and as a father "by this insane act"
• "You look for words, but find only grief and powerlessness," said Werner Kogler of Austria's Green party
• Beyond Austria, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that schools are symbols of "youth, hope and the future... it is hard to bear when schools become places of death and violence"

Image source, EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ten people are dead and several injured after a shooting in the Austrian city of Graz.

Here's what we know so far:

• The shooting happened just before 10:00 local time at the Dreierschützengasse high school in Austria's second-biggest city
• Students and at least one adult have been killed, with the perpetrator among the dead, according to police
• Several others have been seriously injured
• The school has been secured and a major police operation is under way, with government officials to give an update shortly

And what we don't know:

• The identity of the perpetrator is still unknown, but local media report he is a former student of the school
• We also don't know yet what the motive was, or whether the weapon was illegally or legally owned
• The ages or identifies of the people killed have not been released yet, and officials have yet to detail the number of injured

We're expecting an update from government officials including Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker in about an hour following the school shooting in Graz.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr are also expected to speak at the news conference at 15:00 local time (14:00 BST).

We'll bring you updates on what they have to say, as well as the latest updates from the scene, so stay with us.

Austrian media is reporting that 30 people injured in this morning's shooting are being treated in hospital.

It comes as police say in a recent update that several are seriously injured after a gunman opened fire at a school in Graz.

Laura Gozzi
Europe reporter

Gun laws in Austria are generally more liberal than in many places in Europe.

Ownership of rifles and shotguns is permitted for any European citizen over 18, although they have to the weapons with the authorities within six weeks and are subject to a three-day cooling-off period.

Handguns such as pistols, revolvers and semi-automatic firearms can only be purchased by people over 21 who hold firearms licences.

In general anyone who wants to own a weapon needs to give a reason for the purchase, which can be sports shooting or self-defence. A psychological assessment may be required but is not compulsory.

According to the 2017 Small Arms Survey, Austria has about 30 guns per 100 people - making it the 14th country in the world for gun ownership.

Image source, EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Police have confirmed that ten people are dead, including the perpetrator, following the shooting at Dreierschützengasse high school.

Several people are also seriously injured, they add in a post on X, external.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says news of the shooting in Graz "hits home".

"My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and friends," she writes on X.

"Schools are symbols of youth, hope, and the future. It is difficult to bear when schools become places of death and violence," von der Leyen adds.

She also expresses her thanks to the emergency services "in these difficult times".

Are you in Graz? If it is safe to do so, we want to hear from you.

You can get in touch in the following ways:

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• Send an email, external
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Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

As we've just reported, Austrian police have confirmed that the gunman is among those killed in this morning's attack. Earlier reports suggested he had locked himself in a school toilet after the shooting.

Nine people have been killed, according to interior ministry officials quoted by Austrian media. At least seven of those dead are thought to be students at the school, and another was an adult.

There is still some confusion about the number of casualties as the mayor has said that 10 people were killed. We've ed the interior ministry and will bring you updates as we get them.

Chancellor Christian Stocker has described the attack as a national tragedy that "strikes our country right at its heart".

"These were young people who had their whole lives ahead of them. A teacher, who had accompanied them on that journey."

Police in Graz have confirmed that the perpetrator is among the dead following this morning's shooting at a secondary school in Graz.

They have not confirmed the number of casualties yet, but say several people have been killed. Earlier the city's mayor told the APA news agency that nine people were killed, before she updated this figure to 10.

We're working to gather more information, and our correspondents are en route to the scene.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Image source, Getty Images

Graz Mayor Elke Kahr has now said that 10 people have been killed in this morning's shooting. School students are among the dead and a number of people have been reported wounded.

Police say the suspected gunman probably took his own life after the attack on the Dreierschützengasse high school at about 10:00 (09:00 BST).

It is not clear at the moment if the gunman was a student or a former student at the school.

The shooting happened at a large secondary school, Dreierschützengasse, in the south-eastern city of Graz, not far from the city's railway station.

Graz is Austria's second-largest city and located around 200km from the capital, Vienna.

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Graz Mayor Elke Kahr has told Austria's APA news agency that nine people have been killed in today's gun attack.

The shooting took place at about 10:00 (09:00BST) at the Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz in south-east Austria.

APA says they include seven school students and an adult.

The mayor says the gunman is among the dead. He is thought to have been a student and police say he probably took his own life. Elke Kahr has spoken of a terrible tragedy.

There's a heavy police presence near the Dreierschützengasse high school in Graz, where officials have confirmed several people are dead following a shooting.

Here are some of the first pictures we're seeing from the scene:

Image source, Getty images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Paul Kirby
Europe digital editor

Police have just given a news conference in Graz, confirming that several people have been killed and others are wounded in an attack on Dreierschützengasse high school.

They have declined to give the number of casualties but some Austrian reports speak of at least nine killed including the suspected gunman.

Local Mayor Elke Kahr has told APA news agency that the suspected gunman is among those killed. A police spokesman told Austrian media he was a student at the school.

Police say the school has now been secured and there is no further danger.