PRAGUE – A devastating mass shooting unfolded in the heart of Prague yesterday on Charles University’s campus, claiming the lives of at least 15 people while 24 others suffered injuries. The incident is described as the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the Czech Republic.
The bloodshed occurred within the premises of the Philosophy Department of Charles University. Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek confirmed that the shooter himself was a student at the university and died at the scene. Detailed information regarding the perpetrator’s identity and possible motive has not been disclosed yet.
Martin Vondrasek further revealed that investigators suspect the student had killed his father earlier in his hometown, Hostoun, situated west of Prague. Indications reveal he had possibly planned this heinous act in detail. The shooting suspect held legal ownership over several firearms, marking the horrifying incident as thoroughly calculated.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan assured that the shooting suspect did not seem to be associated with any extremist ideologies or organizations. Rakusan dismissed any possibility of a link to international terrorism, a concern that had emerged in discussions around the event considering its shocking extent.
The shooting location, close to the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square, in Prague’s Old Town, is a primary attraction for tourists. The area is in proximity to the idyllic Old Town Square, home to a bustling Christmas market that draws in thousands of visitors each season.
Authorities quickly arrived on the scene and initiated evacuations from the building. The search continues in the surrounding areas for potential explosives.
Czech government officials will convene later today for an emergency meeting to deliberate over the shocking event.