Prague- At least 14 people were killed and three foreign nationals were injured when a student pulled a gun on a crowd of students at Prague University on Friday, according to reports. The shooting was the worst attack in the Czech Republic in years. Police in Prague said that 13 of the victims had been identified, and that three of the injured were Saudi nationals and one was from the Netherlands.
The US State Department said Thursday night that they don’t know if any American citizens were hurt or killed in the attack. The 22-year-old student who was the shooter died, but his name hasn’t been released yet. Police said the death toll could be higher. The attack happened Thursday at Charles University’s philosophy department building.
At the start of the day on Friday, while the police were still keeping the shooting area shut down, people were seen holding up candles to show their sympathy for the victims at a makeshift memorial near the university.
On Friday, police announced that they had increased security around schools and other places that are easy to target, like public buildings. They also said that university rectors would be working with police experts to come up with more preventive measures to make sure everyone is safe.
So far, police haven’t released any more information about the victims or what could have motivated the shooting at the Jan Palach Square building near the river. On Thursday, police spokesman Rakusan said that investigators don’t think there’s a connection between the shooting and any extremist groups.
Law enforcement officials say they don’t think the shooter had an accomplice. Chief Vondrasek said they think the shooter killed his dad earlier in the day in Houston, near Prague. He was also planning to commit suicide. Vondrasek also said the shooter was a good student and didn’t have a criminal record. The chief said the shooter was also a suspect in the death of a couple and their baby girl on December 15 in Prague. The shooter was said to have suffered some pretty bad injuries, but it’s unclear if he was killed or shot by the police during the exchange of fire.
According to police, the shooter had several guns at his home and was armed at the time of the attack. Charles University released a statement earlier expressing their condolences for the victims. Leaders from around the world, including the US and the UN Secretary-General, have expressed their solidarity. The Czech government has declared Saturday a day of mourning for the victims.
President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, has expressed his shock and sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives in the attack. Jan Palach Square, located in the Old Town of Prague, is a popular tourist spot, with thousands of people flocking there for the Christmas market. Everyone has been evacuated from the building, and police are searching the area for any signs of explosives. The building is part of Jan Palach Square and has a view across the river to Prague Castle, where the Czech President is based.
The sight of tourists, students, and other people admiring the iconic monument was suddenly turned into chaos and terror. Police cars and ambulances raced across the bridge, sirens blaring, and the empty square was cordoned off. A social media user shared a picture of a bunch of students hiding on a building’s ledge, according to Reuters.
Witness Pavel Nedoma said he saw someone on a balcony outside the building shoot from a window. He said he saw people being taken out of the building and some trying to hide behind a wall.
