(Image source from: Apnews.com)
In what is being described as the deadliest incident in Czech history, a university in Prague was targeted by a gunman who killed 15 people and wounded 25 others. The 24-year-old shooter was later "neutralized" by the police. During the attack, university staff were instructed to seek refuge in locked rooms. Prime Minister Petr Fiala, deeply affected by the "tragic events," canceled his upcoming commitments. The shooting occurred at the Faculty of Arts building in the heart of the capital, starting at approximately 3:00 PM local time.
Social media footage captured the terrifying moments, with individuals seen leaping to safety from the building's upper floors and the sound of gunshots echoing. Panic ensued as crowds of people, predominantly tourists, fled the area. During a briefing, the country's police chief and interior minister revealed that the gunman had been a student at the faculty and hailed from a village located 13 miles outside of Prague. Earlier in the day, the suspect's father was discovered deceased. The motivation behind the attack remains unknown, although initial reports indicate that no law enforcement officers were harmed.
In addition, they were exploring the possibility that the shooter may have been linked to the recent deaths of two individuals in a wooded area near Prague. Sergei Medvedev, a faculty member at the university, recounted being in a lecture hall when the gunfire erupted. "I was in the middle of delivering a lecture, so I initially didn't fully grasp the situation as there were some noises. The students...were more attuned to it since I was completely focused on my presentation," he shared.
