A devastating shooting in Prague resulted in the loss of 14 lives and injuries to 25 others after a 24-year-old gunman carried out an assault at Prague's Charles University on Thursday, 21 December. The incident is being reported as the deadliest shooting in Czech modern history.
According to BBC, authorities confirmed the "elimination" of the gunman, who was a student at the university and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed his deep sorrow, cancelling his scheduled commitments in response to the incident.
At a press briefing, Prague's police chief, Martin Vondrášek, cautioned that the death toll from the tragic incident might increase, labelling the shooting as a premeditated violent attack. He suggested it was seemingly influenced by similar tragic events overseas.
Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan stated that there was no indication of the incident having a terror angle in the shooting at the university's faculty of arts building. Moreover, police revealed that the shooter's father had been found deceased earlier on the same day.
Police gave no details about the victims or a possible motive for the shooting. Meanwhile, Charles University said in a statement, “We mourn the loss of life of members of our university community, express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved and our thoughts are with all those affected by the tragedy."
Who is The Shooter?
The gunman behind the shooting been identified as 24-year-old student David Kozak, as reported by The Telegraph citing local media.
Kozak was enrolled in Polish history studies at Charles University and was described by Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek as an "excellent student" without a criminal record.
He reportedly sustained severe injuries, although it remains unclear whether he took his own life or was fatally shot during a confrontation with officers, according to Vondrasek, who emphasised that there's no evidence indicating Kozak had an accomplice.
Possessing several legally owned firearms, including a substantial amount of ammunition during the attack, the police characterized Kozak's actions as a "well-thought-out and dreadful act" and Czech media reported that in the days leading up to the tragedy, Kozak made social media posts reflecting on suicide and mass violence. He apparently drew inspiration from a tragic incident overseas.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)