At least 15 dead after shooting at Prague University – the shooter is said to have been a student
Several dead and injured after shooting at university
Several people were killed and dozens injured at a university in downtown Prague. The shooter had been rendered harmless, the police said on Thursday afternoon.
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured in the shooting at Charles University in central Prague. The shooter is also dead. He is said to have been a student at the university. President Pavel expressed his condolences to the relatives.
bAccording to police, more than 15 people were killed in the gun attack at Charles University in Prague. “More than 15 people lost their lives and at least 24 were injured,” police chief Martin Vondrasek told journalists on Thursday evening. At least nine people are said to have suffered serious or life-threatening injuries.
It is assumed that it is a student at the university who had recently murdered his father and was wanted for that reason. However, formal identification is still pending. The alleged perpetrator was probably inspired by mass shootings abroad.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said there was no evidence of a second shooter. There is no immediate further danger. Rakusan nevertheless called on the population to follow police instructions. The minister rushed to the scene after the crime. It is believed to be the worst gun attack in the history of the Czech Republic, which has been independent since 1993. There is no connection to international terrorism.
Source: dpa infographic, infographic WELT
The attack took place at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University on Jan Palach Square. Humanities are taught there. Jan Palach Square is located just a few hundred meters from the famous Charles Bridge, the city’s landmark on the Vltava. The faculty was initially evacuated.
The police were on site with a large contingent, including special forces. Officials called on people to avoid the area. Residents should not go out of the house. Photos showed students leaving the university building with their arms raised. According to a report by the TV station Nova, the shooter is said to have been on the roof of the faculty building. An explosion was also heard.
The director of the Rudolfinum art gallery on Palach Square, Pavel Nedoma, said on television that he saw someone shooting from the window in the direction of the Manés Bridge, which crosses the Vltava.
Police officers stand on the roof of the Faculty of Arts building
Source: dpa/Šimánek Vít
President Pavel expresses his condolences to relatives
Czech President Petr Pavel expressed his condolences to the families of those killed. He thanked the citizens of the short message service X for following the instructions of the security forces. As the head of state’s office announced, Pavel is canceling his current visit to France and returning to the Czech Republic early. Prime Minister Petr Fiala canceled planned appointments and headed to Prague.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also reacted to the news. “I am shocked by the senseless violence that claimed several lives in Prague today,” she said on X and expressed her condolences. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) wrote of “shocking news”. Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) wrote on X: “The attack in the middle of Prague hits Europe in the heart. We are in mourning.”
There was initially no further information about the suspected shooter or a possible motive. Students and staff at the university said on social media that they had barricaded themselves in lecture halls and offices. People should now be brought out of the building one by one. The rescue service sent several ambulances, emergency doctors and a large ambulance to the scene.
Charles University was founded in 1348, making it one of the oldest European universities. It has a total of around 49,500 students. Of these, around 8,000 study at the Faculty of Philosophy, where subjects such as German, Slavic and historical studies are taught.