A student at the philosophy department of Charles University shot and killed 15 people and wounded 24 others at the university’s hospital on Thursday morning, before killing himself as police cornered him, officials said.
The shooting, which was the worst in the Czech Republic’s history, took place this afternoon (local time) in the downtown Prague building on Jan Palach Square at Charles University in Prague, in the building that houses the university’s Department of Philosophy. The gunman, who was wearing a mask and a black jacket, walked into the waiting room and opened fire at random with a handgun, hitting patients and staff, according to the news outlets.
According to news outlets, the police were informed of the shooting through multiple calls and promptly reached the location. The shooter, identified as a a student of the school, entered a classroom and began firing shots before taking his own life. The reason behind the attack is yet to be determined and remains unidentified in terms of name and motive.
The police reported that the gunman was a student from the school who opened fire in a classroom before killing himself. The motive for the attack is still unknown.
The person responsible for the shooting incident has been reportedly identified as a 24-year-old student at the university. There are suspicions that this individual may have been trying to avoid the police, who had initiated an investigation into their possible involvement in a violent death near Prague.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan expressed his sorrow and sympathy for the victims of a school shooting that left at least 11 people dead and several others injured at Charles University in central Prague on Thursday.
In a tweet, Rakusan called the shooting “a terrible act, unprecedented in the history of the Czech Republic” and said he was thinking of the other students, teachers and everyone else who had to experience this traumatic event.
He also urged the public to be patient, cooperate with the police, and refrain from spreading unverified or sensitive information about the incident.
“I have a request for everyone, the most important thing now is to be patient, do not complicate the work of the police, do not enter the closed perimeter, do not share unverified information, but only confirmed news from trusted sources,” he wrote.
“And above all, do not share information about the attacker, his photos and his texts, so as not to increase the risk of repeating such an act. Please try to find calmness and balance in the midst of a crisis situation. That way we can best help the current work of all components.”
The shooting is the deadliest in the country’s history and has shocked the nation, which has a relatively low rate of gun violence.
President Milos Zeman, Prime Minister Andrej Babis, and other political leaders also expressed their condolences and solidarity with the victims and their families.
The government declared a national day of mourning on Friday and ordered flags to be flown at half-mast.
The school said it will remain closed until further notice and that psychologists were available to work with the affected students and staff.
The last shooting in Czech Republic happened on December 10, 2019 at the Ostrava University Hospital. A gunman killed six people in a hospital waiting room and then shot himself in the head after fleeing the scene
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