Czech Republic: 14 killed in mass shooting at Prague university
In the Czech Republic's worst mass shooting incident, a student opened fire at a university in Prague on Thursday (local time), killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 25. Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek revealed that the shooting took place in the philosophy department building of Charles University, where the attacker was a student. The assailant, yet to be identified, has also died.
Police chief reveals identity of Prague university gunman
Authorities believe the 24-year-old gunman died by suicide but added the reason for his death had not yet been confirmed. On the other hand, the Prague Police chief also revealed that the assailant had not been identified formally due to the severity of his injuries. According to the police, the shooter traveled from his hometown village of Hostoun to Prague before the shooting.
Gunman killed father before rampage at university: Police
It is learned that the shooter owned several legal guns and was heavily armed during Thursday's incident. Furthermore, Vondrasek said the police believe the 24-year-old shot his father dead earlier that day in his hometown. Based on a police search at the gunman's home, the top cop added that the student was also suspected of killing another man and his two-month-old daughter in Prague on December 15.
Visuals of mass shooting incident on social media
As the gunman opened fire at the university building, some students reportedly locked themselves inside classrooms to evade him. Some visuals posted on social media showed many people hiding on an outside ledge high up on a building to hide from the attacker. Several other videos also showed groups of people fleeing the area around the university buildings amid the sound of gunfire. The attack happened while classes were ongoing at the university before the Christmas break, starting on Saturday.
Here's video of Prague mass shooting
US president to Czech PM: Top leaders react to shooting
Following the incident, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala addressed the nation and declared Saturday a national day of mourning for those killed in the shooting. "The government decided in its resolution to order the Minister of Justice to provide maximum cooperation to victims and survivors in dealing with claims for compensation under the law," he added. Moreover, United States (US) President Joe Biden and several other global leaders also sent their deepest condolences following the mass shooting incident in Prague.
You can read Czech PM's full address here
Check out Biden's post on Prague university shooting
Czech Republic's past mass shooting incidents
Thursday's attack is the Czech Republic's deadliest mass shooting incident in decades, but such gun shootings are considered rare in the country. Earlier in December 2019, a 42-year-old man shot himself after killing six people in a hospital waiting room in Ostrava. Prior to that, in 2015, a man killed as many as eight people during a similar mass shooting incident at a restaurant in Uhersky Brod before killing himself as well.
Over 1 million registered weapons in Czech Republic: Data
Per the 2022 police data, the Czech Republic has more than one million registered weapons. Notably, the country's constitution allows citizens to carry firearms and concealed weapons for self-defense. However, one has to undergo a health and background check to obtain the permit. Moreover, police authorities could seize someone's firearm at any time if they appear to have mental health issues.
All you need to know about Czech Republic's gun laws
Individuals must also take a multiple choice question test, which includes 30 questions from a possible 501 that people can study from, for the gun license. The difficulty level of the test might vary, depending on the type of license they are applying for. After the written test, applicants must also demonstrate that they can shoot a firearm, describe the different parts of a gun, and know how to store their weapon safely.
