On December 21, 2023, a horrific shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, resulted in the deaths of 15 people, including the gunman, and left 30 injured.
The incident took place in the Faculty of Arts building, situated in the popular Jan Palach Square, leading to immediate police action.
David Kozák, 24, a student at the university, carried out the attack. Prior to the shooting, he had expressed a desire to kill his father and subsequently jumped off a building roof, ending his life after the shooting spree. Police Chief Martin Vondrasek had received a tip earlier that day about Kozák, from the Kladno region, possibly traveling to Prague with suicidal intentions. The shooter’s father was found deceased soon after.
As the crisis unfolded, the specifics about the victims and the shooting’s exact details were not immediately available. Emergency services and police were preoccupied with managing the situation and aiding those affected.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan confirmed on public television that Kozák was the sole shooter, addressing public safety concerns. He stressed the need for cooperation with law enforcement during this critical period.
The police initiated a lockdown of the university’s building and Jan Palach Square. The Philosophical Faculty of Charles University, located in the square, was also evacuated as a precaution.
Multiple injuries were reported by Jana Postova, a spokesperson for Prague’s rescue service.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala canceled his planned trip to the eastern part of the country, opting to head to Prague instead.
The Czech Republic typically experiences low rates of gun-related crimes. A notable exception was in December 2019 when a 42-year-old man shot and killed six people in an Ostrava hospital, later taking his own life.
Expressing sorrow, Czech Foreign Affairs Minister Jan Lipavský offered his condolences to the victims’ families and extended his thoughts to the injured and all those impacted by this harrowing incident.