Elderly Man Opens Fire on Granddaughter in Upper Austria Before Taking Own Life

An 82-year-old resident of a senior living facility in Lengau, located in the Braunau district of Upper Austria, shot his 30-year-old granddaughter before turning the weapon on himself in a fatal act. The incident occurred while the granddaughter was visiting her grandparents at their assisted living residence.

According to official police statements, there were no indications of a prior conflict immediately preceding the shooting. The granddaughter had spent time with her grandmother, sharing a midday meal, before the grandfather joined them later. While the two women conversed, the elderly man sat silently in the living room. As the granddaughter prepared to leave the apartment shortly before 2 p.m., the grandfather unexpectedly produced a legally-owned handgun from his pocket and fired a single shot, striking her in the abdomen.

The grandmother, who witnessed the event, promptly alerted emergency services. Medical responders arrived swiftly at the scene and transported the injured woman by helicopter to the Salzburg State Hospital, where she received urgent medical care. Hospital representatives reported that the granddaughter sustained severe injuries but her condition stabilized following surgical intervention.

Subsequent investigations by authorities indicated that the firearm used in the incident was lawfully registered to the perpetrator. The police reported that, after firing at his granddaughter, the man immediately took his own life with the same weapon. The grandmother, aged 78, provided testimony suggesting that a minor disagreement regarding a small sum of money--described as a low three-digit amount--may have contributed to the tragic incident, though no direct confrontation took place immediately prior to the shooting.

The police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine any further details that may clarify the motives behind the act. Local authorities have underscored the rarity of such violent events within the senior living community and have offered support services to those affected by the tragedy.

The case has prompted renewed discussions about safety protocols and mental health awareness within residential care facilities in Austria, particularly concerning access to and the regulation of privately-owned firearms among elderly residents.