In downtown Prague, a lone gunman opened fire in a university building, resulting in at least 14 deaths and over 20 injuries. This incident marks the Czech Republic’s worst mass shooting. The shooting occurred in the philosophy department building of Charles University, where the assailant, identified as a student, also died. Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek provided varying reports on the casualties, initially stating 15 deaths and later revising it to 14, while warning that the death toll could rise. The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and investigators do not suspect links to extremist ideologies or groups.
Vondrasek revealed that the gunman likely killed his father in Hostoun earlier on the same day and had planned to take his own life. Subsequent investigations also implicated the shooter in the killing of another man and his 2-month-old daughter on December 15 in Prague. The assailant, described as an excellent student with no criminal record, suffered “devastating injuries,” and it remains uncertain whether he committed suicide or was shot by officers.
The university building, situated near the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square, faces heightened security measures in the aftermath of the shooting. Charles University expressed condolences and mourned the loss of members of its community. The incident occurred in a bustling tourist area near Old Town Square and a Christmas market, prompting evacuations and police searches for explosives.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan dismissed concerns of foreign involvement, stating that there is no indication of international terrorism. The government plans to hold an emergency session to address the tragedy. World leaders, including President Joe Biden, expressed condolences, while the Czech Republic grapples with an unprecedented act of violence. The nation’s previous worst mass shooting occurred in 2015 in Uhersky Brod, where a gunman killed eight people before taking his own life.