At least 15 individuals are lifeless after a mass taking pictures at a Prague college, police chief says

PRAGUE — An armed man opened hearth in a college constructing in downtown Prague on Thursday, killing not less than 15 folks and sowing widespread panic with one of many Czech Republic’s worst mass shootings of its variety, police and the town’s rescue service stated.

The bloodshed happened within the philosophy division constructing of Charles University, the place the shooter was a pupil, Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek stated. He has not been named publicly.

Police gave no particulars concerning the victims or a attainable motive for the taking pictures on the constructing situated close to the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square. Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan stated investigators don’t suspect a hyperlink to any extremist ideology or teams.

Pavel Nedoma, the director of the close by Rudolfinum Gallery, stated he noticed from a window an individual standing on a balcony of the constructing and taking pictures a gun.

Police stated they had been nonetheless looking the world, together with the balcony, for attainable explosives. The constructing was evacuated, Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda stated.

The constructing kinds a part of the sq. and faces a bridge throughout the river with a view of Prague Castle, the seat of the Czech presidency. President Petr Pavel stated he was “shocked” by what occurred and provided his condolences to the kin of the victims.

Where vacationers, college students and others would usually be having fun with the view of the long-lasting monument as a substitute mirrored chaos and terror on Thursday afternoon. Police automobiles and ambulances sped throughout the bridge with their sirens wailing to every the empty sq., which was sealed off by officers.

Some video footage from the scene confirmed folks being evacuated from the constructing and others making an attempt to cover by a wall.