14 Dead at Prague University as Student Goes on Shooting Spree
In a shocking incident at Charles University in Prague, a 24-year-old Czech student went on a shooting spree that claimed the lives of 14 people and left 25 others wounded on Thursday.
The government has declared December 23 a day of mourning across the Czech Republic to honour the victims, marking the nation's worst-ever mass shooting. President Petr Pavel expressed his deep sorrow, stating, "I would express my great sadness along with helpless anger at the unnecessary loss of so many young lives."
Onlookers witnessed scenes of students evacuating buildings and barricading themselves in classrooms as armed police responded to the unfolding crisis. Police successfully evacuated a Faculty of Arts building, where the shooter was scheduled to attend a lecture, but were then called to the main building where the tragedy unfolded.
The assailant, armed with a large arsenal of legally owned weapons, first shot his father before heading to the university, where he targeted students and faculty members. The man, a high-achieving student with no prior criminal record, was armed with a shotgun and reportedly took his own life as the police closed in. He is also suspected in the recent killing of a man and his two-month-old daughter in Prague.
The motive behind Thursday’s attack remains unclear, although there is unconfirmed information that the shooter may have been inspired by a terrorist attack in Russia.
In response to the tragedy, leaders from around the world have offered their condolences and support. The incident has sent shockwaves through the Czech Republic, where gun crime is relatively rare.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities exploring the possibility of the assailant being killed by police during the exchange of fire. The tragedy serves as a stark reminder that even in historically peaceful regions, the threat of individual acts of violence can disrupt the lives of innocent people.
