14th femicide in Austria this year: 28-year-old killed in an Upper Austrian school

After the killing, the suspect took his own life, as confirmed by the Upper Austrian State Police Directorate. The weapon used by the man, who committed suicide after the crime, was legally owned. On Saturday, the Upper Austrian Education Directorate announced in a press release "Maßnahmen zur Unterstützung der Schülerinnen und Schüler, des Lehrpersonals sowie der Angehörigen." The Upper Austrian Crisis Service and the school psychology service provided psychosocial support for the school community and carried out an initial intervention that same Friday.

School operations and support for those affected

A coordination meeting is planned for Sunday between representatives of the Education Directorate, the Upper Austrian Crisis Service, the teaching staff, and the municipality, at which further school operations are to be decided. According to APA information, a school closure for Monday will be discussed. One option is to keep the elementary school open and to keep the secondary school closed at least on Monday. According to APA, a redesign of the library area is also being considered, so that students do not have to constantly pass the crime scene.

According to a count by the Autonomous Austrian Women's Shelters (AÖF) association based on media reports, this is already the 14th femicide in Austria this year. The AÖF can be reached at aoef.at, the Women's Shelter Emergency Line at 057722, the Women's Helpline at frauenhelpline.at and by phone at 0800-222-555. The Austrian violence protection centers can be reached at 0800/700-217, the police emergency number is 133.

Reactions and demands from the Men's Helpline

Heinz Payer of the Men's Helpline (Männernotruf), in view of the case, called for legal measures such as the seamless monitoring of restraining orders using electronic ankle bracelets. He told the STANDARD: "Die Krisensituation kann man nicht einfach so ausknipsen." Men tended to "ihre Probleme nicht anzugehen; Männer lassen den Krieger hinaushängen; Männer tragen Konflikte nicht auf Augenhöhe aus." Men also often perceived humiliation "als persönliche Niederlage. Und wenn sie so sozialisiert wurden, dass sie ständig Sieger sein müssen, eskalieren sie."

Payer also pointed to a societal problem in dealing with the value of women, which is expressed, for example, in the gender pay gap and in sexist jokes. The AÖF states on its website that "dass viele Tötungsdelikte an Frauen nicht zufällig geschehen, sondern Ausdruck struktureller Ungleichheit, patriarchaler Machtverhältnisse und geschlechtsspezifischer Gewalt sind".

Background: femicide research and risk factors

According to UN data, around 50,000 of the women intentionally killed worldwide in 2024 were killed by partners or close relatives. A Swedish study concludes that such escalations are not spontaneous emotional outbursts but build up over a longer period. A German study on femicides in several federal states from 2017 sees a connection with a low level of education and a financially strained situation. The US health authority CDC cites the desire for power and control in relationships as one of several risk factors for violence.

The United Nations identify as risk factors, among other things, access to firearms, previous violent offenses, and stalking, and recommend policy measures that teach relationship skills, clarify acceptable behavior, and question problematic role models. The Austrian federal government's national action plan aims to impart values such as respect and tolerance in schools in order to counteract aggressive behavior and discrimination.

In the current case, according to police information, it involves an extended relationship context: the prosecutor's office ruled out a relationship between the two teachers but sees the trigger in the educator's unrequited affection. In parallel, a violent incident also took place in Vienna-Hietzing, in which a man is said to have held his ex-girlfriend captive in her apartment for several hours and threatened her with death.