Prague Stunned as Tragic Shooting Rampage Claims 14 Lives
Prague is reeling in shock as the deadliest peacetime attack in Czech Republic's history unfolds A gunman has mercilessly claimed the lives of 14 innocent people and injured 25 more at Charles University
Friday morning in Prague brought shock and disbelief as the city woke up to news of a gunman killing 14 people and injuring 25 at Charles University. This tragic event marks the deadliest peacetime attack in the Czech Republic's history. The nation and its top officials were left stunned by this brutal incident, which also marked the first-ever school or college shooting in the country.
Prague, once a lively winter wonderland, felt desolate and quiet on Friday morning, just 24 hours after the tragic events. Overnight, a makeshift memorial of candles and flowers was erected at the historical headquarters of the university, where people braved heavy snow and rain to pay their respects early in the morning.
In a Thursday address to the nation, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala condemned the shooting as "senseless" and expressed that "this Christmas will be unimaginably sad."
Fiala expressed her deep sorrow and disgust over the incomprehensible and brutal violence, stating that many others likely felt the same. Similarly, Czech President Petr Pavel also shared his deep sadness and helpless anger over the loss of numerous young lives. During a press conference on Friday, Prague police chief Petr MatÄjÄek confirmed that the gunman, a 24-year-old university student, died by suicide, but the police have not yet released his name.
The Faculty of Arts building at Charles University is the subject of an ongoing investigation into the motive behind a rampage. The school, known as the Faculty of Philosophy in Czech, is one of the original colleges established in 1348 when the university was founded. It offers courses in history, philosophy, art theory, and languages. Police have identified 11 of the 14 victims as of Friday morning.
The school's Department of Musicology has confirmed that Lenka Hlávková, the director, was tragically killed in the shooting. Hlávková was a highly respected expert in the musical culture of medieval central Europe. The department expressed deep sadness at her "extremely cruel" death. The identities of the other victims have not been released to the public.
A Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson informed CNN on Friday that three foreigners were injured in the attack. Minister of Interior VÃt RakuÅ¡an also mentioned to Czech TV that two of the injured foreigners were from the UAE and the Netherlands. The foreign ministry confirmed that all the deceased victims identified thus far were Czech nationals.
People embrace in front of Charles University main building following the shooting at one of its buildings in Prague.
David W Cerny/Reuters
How the shooting unfolded
Prior to the university shootings, the police chief disclosed that they had prior knowledge about the shooter. They were tipped off that he was planning to travel from his hometown village of Hostouň to Prague with the intent to commit suicide. Subsequently, the police received news that a man, suspected to be the gunman's father, was discovered deceased in Hostouň.
Vondrášek informed that the police were aware that the shooter had a lecture scheduled at 2 p.m. local time and therefore evacuated the building where the lecture was to take place. However, authorities later received a call about a shooting in a different building, according to the police chief.
The location of the building is popular among tourists and conveniently close to major attractions. It is situated just across the Vltava River from Prague Castle and is a five-minute walk from the Old Town Square, where Prague's famous Christmas Markets were happening. The historical Jewish Quarter is also just a few hundred meters away from the building.
The Czech authorities are investigating the possibility that the gunman may be linked to a recent double homicide in Klanovice, a Prague suburb, where a man and a baby were discovered murdered in a forest. According to Vondrášek, the shooter had a valid gun permit and possessed multiple firearms.
In comparison to other European Union countries, the Czech Republic has more lenient gun laws, yet firearms-related incidents are infrequent. In order to legally possess a gun, individuals must obtain an official firearm license, which entails a medical evaluation, a proficiency test, and a clean criminal record.
Official police data reveals that over 300,000 individuals have obtained a legal permit to own a gun. As of 2022, nearly 1 million legally owned firearms were officially registered in the Czech Republic.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
