Thirteen victims, and gunman, killed at Prague’s Charles University in Czechia’s worst mass shooting

An extremely rare mass shooting in Europe left 13 dead, plus about 25 injured, and put a major tourist city in lockdown in a shocking holiday period attack.

Terrifying images show dozens of people hiding, hanging from ledges and fleeing for their lives as a gunman killed 13 victims and injured 25 more in an extremely rare mass shooting that left a major European city in lockdown.

Panic erupted in the centre of Prague before the shooter perched on the roof of Charles University’s Faculty of Arts, which sits near popular tourist sites like the 14th-century Charles Bridge, was “eliminated”.

Pictures and video showed wild scenes of students hanging from ledges to hide and people on the street fleeing for their lives as the shooter is seen stalking victims from the roof of the campus.

Students hide on a ledge as a shooter stalks Prague from a university roof. Picture: Supplied

Czech authorities revised the toll from 14 victims to 13 on Friday.

“We know all 14 dead and their identity. It’s 13 victims of the mad gunman and the gunman himself,” Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told the public Czech TV.

Police said the gunman had died by suicide after the attack

President Petr Pavel declared Saturday a national day of mourning and expressed his “great sadness” and “helpless anger at the totally unnecessary” loss of life.

“It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas,” he said.

Authorities are working to identify the victims amid fears that foreign tourists are among those killed or wounded.

The area of Náměstí Jan Palach, a popular part of the city leading tourists to the Old Town Square, was placed in lockdown and people were advised to stay away.

Mr Rakušan, said there was no indication the killings, which took place at the university’s faculty of arts building, had “any connection with international terrorism”. The father of the shooter had been found dead earlier on Thursday, police said.

Police established that the student, who has not been publicly named, was supposed to be attending a lecture at the university at 2pm.

Armed police are seen on the balcony of the Charles University in central Prague. Picture: AFP

The governor of the Prague region, Bohuslav Svoboda, said the 24-year-old shooter opened fire on Jan Palach Square before falling from the roof of the Faculty of arts building.

“The shooter has been eliminated !!! The entire building is currently being evacuated and there are several dead and dozens of injured,” Czech police announced online.

Police “used a service weapon” after discovering the gunman’s body in the Faculty of Arts building, where he was a student.

Police spokesman Martin Vondráček said a search had started for the man before the actual shooting, as his father had earlier been found dead in the village of Hostoun west of Prague.

The gunman “left for Prague saying he wanted to kill himself,” Vondrasek said, adding he was inspired by a “similar case that happened in Russia this autumn”.

BREAKING:

Reports of many killed in a mass-shooting at the Charles University of Prague, Czechia.

The pictures below show the shooter of the roof of the building and students trying to hide from him on a ledge high up in the air. pic.twitter.com/9K0ibvudGP

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) December 21, 2023

Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that there was no link between the shooting and “international terrorism”.

He added that “no other gunman has been confirmed” and called on people to follow police instructions.

Eyewitness Petr Nedoma told Czech TV he saw the shooter “on the gallery” with an automatic weapon in hand “shooting towards the Manes Bridge”.

A police officer cordons off an area near the Charles University in central Prague. Picture: AFP

Emergency services gather at the location of the shooting. Picture: Getty Images

“Repeatedly, with some interruptions, then I saw as he shot, put hands up and threw the weapon down on the street, it lay there on the pedestrian crossing,” he said.

An email sent to staff and students at the Faculty of Arts said a shooter was in one of its buildings and had told staff to “stay put”, according to Reuters.

“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.

Currently stuck inside my classroom in Prague. Shooter is dead, but we are waiting to be evacuated. Praying to make it out alive.

Locked the door before the shooter tried to open it. Fucking hell. pic.twitter.com/wYyhOe5U6p

— Jakob Weizman (@jakobweizman) December 21, 2023

Prague’s emergency service said on X that “a large number of ambulance units” were deployed at the faculty, adding the injuries ranged from light to very serious.

Mr Pavel said he was “shocked” by the extremely rare shooting in the Eastern European country. In 2019, six people were killed at a hospital waiting room while in 2015 eight were killed at a restaurant.

“I would like to express my deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims claimed by the shooting,” Pavel, who is winding up a two-day visit to Paris on Thursday, said on X, formerly Twitter.

Originally published as Thirteen victims, and gunman, killed at Prague’s Charles University in Czechia’s worst mass shooting