A man in Austrian's shot and injured his 7 year old son whilst the boy was at school, before running away and committing suicide.

Children and parents stand outside the St Poelten school bewildered after an attack which locals say wasn't unexpected. The man in question had a history of domestic violence, some citing a family feud.

The little boy is now in a critical condition in hospital after his father took him out of class and into the cloakroom where he shot his son in the head. The father drove off but police later found his car with a dead body inside.

Emergency services on the scene at the time were fearful of a killing spree and investigators say it's too early to have figured out the motive just yet.