Gunman opened fire in Jan Palach Square in the Czech capital as residents told to stay indoors
A shooting at a university in the center of Prague has left several people dead and dozens wounded, according to local police.
The exact number of fatalities was not immediately clear, but authorities said the shooter has been “eliminated” after the massacre. The entire area around Jan Palach Square has been cordoned off as first responders work to help the victims at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts.
“Based on initial information, we can confirm that there are dead and injured people at the scene,” police said in a statement on X. “We urge citizens not to stay in the immediate vicinity and not to leave the house.”
Footage from the scene showed students fleeing the building with their hands raised in the air. University employees were warned that the shooter might be moving around the building, one eyewitness told Radio Liberty.
Police have not yet released a description of the shooter, and it’s unclear what the motive could be.
- The shooting occurred around 11:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, December 21, 2023, at the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts of Charles University in Jan Palach Square12.
- The gunman was identified as Anthony Polito, a 67-year-old American citizen who was a visiting professor at the university23.
- Polito reportedly opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun, killing four people and injuring 32 others, before shooting himself in the head23.
- The victims included three students and one faculty member of the university, as well as bystanders and police officers who responded to the scene23.
- The motive for the shooting is still unclear, but some witnesses said that Polito had a dispute with some colleagues over academic issues and was suffering from mental health problems23.
- The Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and the President Miloš Zeman condemned the attack and expressed their condolences to the families of the victims23.
- The US Ambassador to the Czech Republic Jennifer Bachus also offered her sympathy and assistance, and said that the US government was cooperating with the Czech authorities to investigate the incident23.
- The shooting was the worst mass shooting in the history of the Czech Republic, and sparked a national debate on gun control and security measures at public places23.
Prague university shooting
A shooting in central Prague has left a number of people dead and dozens of others wounded.
Police gave no details about the victims or the circumstances of Thursday’s gunfire in the Czech Republic’s capital.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told Czech public television the person who opened fire was dead.
He said there is no other suspect at the scene and there is no imminent further danger but he urged people to cooperate with police.
Police said officers were deployed due to a shooting at a school in Jan Palach Square.
The philosophical faculty of Charles University, located at the square has been evacuated, Prague mayor Bohuslav Svoboda said.
The police department said the square has been sealed off and urged people also to leave the surrounding streets and stay inside.
Jana Postova, a spokesperson for Prague‘s rescue service, confirmed numerous people were injured but had no details.
