A tragic incident unfolded at Charles University in Prague as a student opened fire in the philosophy department building, resulting in the death of at least 14 people and leaving more than 20 injured. This mass shooting marks the worst such incident in the Czech Republic. The assailant, also a student at the university, lost his life in the incident, and his identity has not yet been disclosed.
The shooting occurred in the evening in the building situated near the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square. Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek provided conflicting information initially, stating that 15 people had died and 24 were injured, later revising the figures to 14 dead and 25 injured. Authorities cautioned that the death toll could still rise.
Details about the victims and the motive behind the shooting remain unknown at this time. Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan indicated that investigators do not suspect any connection to extremist ideologies or groups. Vondrasek shared that the police believe the gunman killed his father earlier in the day in Hostoun, near Prague, and had intentions of taking his own life, without providing further details.
Further revelations emerged later, with Vondrasek stating that, based on a home search, the gunman was also suspected in the killing of another man and his 2-month-old daughter on December 15 in Prague. The police chief described the assailant as an excellent student with no criminal record but refrained from disclosing additional information.
The gunman sustained severe injuries, and the circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear—whether it was a self-inflicted gunshot or a result of a confrontation with law enforcement. Vondrasek asserted that there was no indication of an accomplice involved in the incident. The tragedy has left the university community and the nation in shock, prompting an urgent investigation into the events leading up to this devastating act of violence.