3 international nationals are among the many wounded after a Prague college taking pictures wherein 14 died
PRAGUE (AP) — Three international nationals had been among the many 25 folks wounded when a scholar opened hearth at a college in the Czech capital, Prague, taking pictures useless 14 folks earlier than killing himself, authorities mentioned Friday. It was the worst mass taking pictures in Czech historical past.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan mentioned police in Prague labored in a single day and all of the 14 who died in Thursday’s assault have been recognized. The Institute of Music Sciences confirmed that its head, Lenka Hlávková, was among the many useless.
The Czech Foreign Ministry confirmed that three of these wounded had been foreigners — two from United Arab Emirates and one from the Netherlands,
The bloodshed came about on the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, the place the 24-year-old shooter was a scholar, Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek mentioned. Petr Matejcek, the director of the police regional headquarters in Prague mentioned the gunman killed himself on the balcony of the college constructing when cops approached him. The gunman’s title has not been launched.
Authorities warned that the dying toll may rise.
Early Friday, with the scene of the taking pictures nonetheless sealed off by the police, folks may very well be seen lighting candles to mourn the victims at an impromptu vigil by the college headquarters.
Police mentioned Friday they’ve boosted safety at faculties and different “soft targets” — often public services which are tough to safe — in a safety measure. University rectors additionally mentioned they’d work with police consultants on extra preventive measures to extend safety round campus.
Police have launched no particulars concerning the useless and wounded or a potential motive for the taking pictures on the constructing. Rakusan mentioned Thursday that investigators didn’t suspect a hyperlink to any extremist ideology or teams. Officials mentioned they believed the gunman acted alone.
Vondrasek, the police chief, mentioned they consider the person killed his father earlier on Thursday in his hometown of Hostoun, simply west of Prague, and that he had additionally been planning to kill himself. He additionally mentioned the gunman was suspected of killing a person and his 2-month-old daughter on Dec. 15, in Prague.
Police mentioned the shooter had legally owned a number of weapons and that he was closely armed through the assault.
Leaders from many international locations, together with the United States, and the U.N Secretary-General conveyed their condolences. The Czech authorities declared Saturday a nationwide day of mourning to honor the victims.
Previously, the nation’s worst mass taking pictures was in 2015, when a gunman opened hearth within the southeastern city of Uhersky Brod, killing eight earlier than fatally taking pictures himself.
The constructing the place the taking pictures came about is situated close to the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square, a busy vacationer space in Prague’s Old Town. It is only a few minutes’ stroll from the picturesque Old Town Square, a serious vacationer attraction the place a well-liked Christmas market attracts hundreds of holiday makers.
