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In the Czech capital of Prague, a tragic shooting rampage unfolded at Charles University, leaving at least 14 individuals dead and 25 wounded, including three foreigners, marking one of the country’s most harrowing attacks in recent history.
According to Minister Vit Rakusan, 13 of the deceased have been identified, and among the injured were two individuals from Saudi Arabia and one from the Netherlands. Despite the severity of the incident, a State Department spokesperson stated there were no reports of U.S. citizens harmed in the assault.
The horrific event occurred at the philosophy department building within Charles University, where the assailant, a 24-year-old student at the university, carried out the massacre before taking his own life. The shooter’s identity remains undisclosed, and authorities cautioned that the casualty count might rise.
In the aftermath of the shooting, mourners gathered at an impromptu vigil near the university to pay tribute to the victims, while police heightened security measures at educational institutions and similar public locations as a precautionary measure.
Police investigations into the tragic incident have not yet disclosed details about the victims or a clear motive behind the attack. Minister Rakusan stated that investigators found no indication of extremist ties or ideology involved and asserted that the gunman likely acted alone.
Further revelations from Prague’s police chief, Martin Vondrasek, unveiled a distressing timeline of events, suggesting that the assailant may have been responsible for a prior killing of a man and a two-month-old child in Prague on December 15. Vondrasek also indicated that the shooter allegedly murdered his father earlier on the day of the university shooting.
Describing the assailant as a model student with no criminal record, Vondrasek highlighted that the gunman had legal ownership of multiple firearms, which he used during the attack.
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of condolences from world leaders, including the United States, and the United Nations Secretary-General. Czech President Petr Pavel expressed shock and condolences to the victims’ families, leading the government to declare a national day of mourning on Saturday.
The attack’s impact was felt across the bustling tourist area of Jan Palach Square, causing chaos and terror in a location typically abuzz with tourists and students. Evacuations ensued, and authorities conducted searches for potential explosives in the vicinity, leaving the square deserted and engulfed in an atmosphere of fear and emergency.
Eyewitness accounts, social media posts, and video footage captured moments of terror and confusion, revealing the frightening reality faced by individuals caught in the tragic shooting, depicting a scene of trauma and distress amid what was once a serene and iconic location in Prague’s vibrant heart.