Police officers work near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)
Calling the shooting "a terrible act, unprecedented in the history of the Czech Republic," Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that there is no indication that the shooting was linked to "international terrorism."
PRAGUE, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced on Thursday that the government has designated Dec. 23 as a national day of mourning following a tragic incident at a Prague university where a 24-year-old student shot and killed 14 people, leaving 25 others wounded before possibly killing himself, according to local police.
State flags will be lowered to half-mast and citizens are called on to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the shooting in the Faculty of Arts of Charles University on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking at a press briefing in the evening, Czech Police President Martin Vondrasek said that 14 people died and 25 were injured in the shooting, after earlier reporting that 15 lost their lives and 24 others were hurt. He didn't explain the change, and authorities warned that the death toll could rise.
The tragedy unfolded in the philosophy department building of Charles University, where the shooter was a student, as confirmed by Vondrasek. The identity of the perpetrator remains undisclosed.
Emergency vehicles are seen near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)
According to the Czech News Agency (CTK), local police were informed that a young man from Hostoun in the Central Bohemia Region was to leave for Prague, saying he wanted to take his own life. About 25 minutes later, the young man's father was found dead in Hostoun.
Vondrasek said police believe the gunman killed his father, and there are indications that he had intentions of taking his own life, although details were not further expounded upon.
The police described the shooter as an excellent student with no criminal record and were also informed that the shooter was to give a lecture at the Faculty of Arts building on Celetna Street in Prague. Thus, they evacuated the building, but the shooting took place at Jan Palach Square, the CTK reported.
Video footage released on social media platforms showed people being evacuated from the building and others trying to hide behind a wall.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan (C) speaks at a press briefing about the shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)
Calling the shooting "a terrible act, unprecedented in the history of the Czech Republic," Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that there is no indication that the shooting was linked to "international terrorism."
In a statement following the attack, Charles University Management said it has immediately recommended tightening security measures in university buildings and canceling all events scheduled for Thursday evening and Friday.
"We express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved and our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragedy," Charles University said in a statement.
Before this latest incident, the most devastating mass shooting in the nation occurred in 2015, when a gunman unleashed gunfire in the southeastern town of Uhersky Brod, claiming eight lives before fatally shooting himself.
"We now ask everyone to try to remain calm and composed, and we again extend our condolences to all those whose hearts have been broken by the loss of loved ones," the statement added. ■
