A mass shooting in downtown Prague, capital of Czech Republic left 14 people dead and about 30 others injured.
Shooting at a school in Jan Palach Square
Police gave no details about the victims or the circumstances of the gunfire but said officers were deployed due to a shooting at a school in Jan Palach Square.
The philosophy department of Charles University, which is located in the square, was evacuated, Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda said.
The police department said the square has been sealed off. It urged people to leave the surrounding streets and stay inside.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said no other assailant was at the scene, but he urged people to cooperate with police.
Number of victims
Prague’s rescue service confirmed that 11 people had died, including the shooter. The service said about 30 others suffered various injuries, including nine with serious ones.
An email sent to staff and students had said the shooter was in one of the buildings.
‘Don’t go anywhere, if you’re in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights,’ the email said.
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One X user posted a photo of a group of students, hiding crouched on a ledge of the building.
Condolences
Pavel Nedoma, the director of Rudolfinum Gallery, which also is located in the square, told Czech public television he saw from a window a person who was shooting from a gun toward the nearby Manes bridge across the Vltava River.
After the news broke, Prime Minister Petr Fiala’s announced he has canceled his scheduled events and was heading for Prague.
In a post on X, Czech President Petr Pavel, who was on a visit to Paris, said he was ‘shocked’ by the shooting and extended his condolences to the families and relatives of the victims.
