The gunman who unleashed terror on Prague in the present day murdered his father earlier than randomly capturing individuals from the balcony of a prime college the place he was a pupil – killing at the very least 15, police have stated.
The bloodbath is the Czech Republic’s worst ever mass capturing, and the gunman is believed to have been impressed by a faculty capturing in Russia earlier this 12 months.
There are fears that vacationers might be amongst these killed in in the present day’s capturing, with police working to establish the victims and saying they’ll contact embassed with updates within the occasion of overseas nationals being affected within the atrocity.
A chilling picture shared on native media purports to indicate the person wearing black aiming a rifle at individuals under whereas standing on prime of the Charles College School of Arts constructing this afternoon.
Terrified college students and vacationers had been seen fleeing from the constructing as gunshots rang out in what’s certainly one of Europe’s prime vacationer hotspots, with witnesses saying the gunman was choosing off his victims one after the other.
Elite cops had been seen storming the philosophy division constructing of Charles College, the place the gunman was a pupil, with police saying the gunman had been ’eradicated’ at 4pm – an hour after the lethal carnage started.
Police stated the gunman’s physique had been discovered within the space and urged he had taken his personal life when cops closed in on him – although cops did say they’d fired at him.
’Because of the devastating harm sustained by the suspect, we’re unable to substantiate his id,’ police spokesman Martin Vondráček stated. ’From the data out there to me, there ought to have been a suicide, nonetheless, the police additionally used a service weapon.’
Dramatic video confirmed terrified crowds of vacationers and locals sprinting throughout the well-known Charles Bridge – certainly one of Europe’s prime vacationer websites – after they heard the sickening sound of gunshots within the metropolis.
Photographs circulating on-line and in Czech media purports to indicate the shooter on the roof of the college constructing
A chilling picture shared on native media purports to indicate the person wearing black aiming a rifle at individuals under whereas standing on prime of a college constructing, with witnesses saying the gunman was choosing off his victims one after the other
Different extraordinary photos present terrified college students cowering on a ledge excessive up on a college in a bid to cover from the gunman after others had been advised to barricade themselves in school rooms
Dramatic video reveals terrified crowds of vacationers and locals sprinting throughout the well-known Charles Bridge – certainly one of Europe’s prime vacationer websites – after they heard the sickening sound of gunshots within the metropolis
Folks might be seen working from a constructing in Prague
The capturing began at 3pm on the Charles College School of Arts constructing and police stated the gunman was ’eradicated’ at 4pm after elite cops had been seen storming the constructing
Armed police are seen on the balcony of the college in central Prague on Thursday
A college member of the college, Zora Hesova, stated individuals had been nonetheless locked in school rooms contained in the constructing as armed law enforcement officials descended on the scene
A police officer secures the realm following the capturing at one of many buildings of Charles College in Prague on Thursday
The gunman fired at his victims one after the other from the highest of the college constructing – two hours after he’s stated to have murdered his father within the city of Hostoun.
In separate footage, individuals had been seen working with their fingers raised within the air from the celebrated College’s School of Arts constructing within the capital, as armed law enforcement officials swooped in.
The capturing began at 3pm and police stated the gunman was ’eradicated’ at 4pm after elite cops had been seen storming the constructing. No less than 15 individuals had been killed within the capturing and greater than 20 had been injured – 11 significantly, Prague’s emergency companies stated.
Different extraordinary photos present terrified college students cowering on a ledge excessive up on a balcony in a bid to cover from the gunman after others had been advised to barricade themselves in school rooms.
A college member of the college, Zora Hesova, stated individuals had been locked in school rooms contained in the constructing as armed law enforcement officials descended on the scene.
Police later stated they killed the gunman after they stormed the constructing and have evacuated everybody who was trapped inside.
’The gunman was eradicated!!!’ police stated on X, previously Twitter. ’The constructing is at the moment being evacuated and there are a number of useless and dozens of wounded individuals on the scene.’
Extraordinary photos present the gunman, who was wearing black, standing on the roof of the school constructing and pointing his rifle with a scope mounted on prime at individuals down under.
Petr Nedoma, the director of the Rudolfinum – a live performance corridor on the sq. throughout from the School of Arts – advised Czech broadcaster CT24: ’Upstairs on the walkway of the School of Arts, I noticed a person standing with a gun in his hand and capturing in direction of the Mánes bridge with sure delays.
’I watched what was taking place from contained in the Rudolfinum for a very long time. I stayed within the constructing and was by the home windows for as a lot cowl as doable.’
Nedoma added: ’Then he put his fingers up and threw the gun in direction of the street, it remained mendacity by the philosophy college. Then lots of people appeared upstairs, I do not know if it was the police.
’I left the window and watched the police evacuate individuals from the School of Philosophy, taking them away with their fingers behind their heads in several instructions, a lot of vehicles, individuals working round.’
Terrified academics and college students on the Charles College School of Arts had been instructed to lock themselves in school rooms earlier than they had been evacuated.
Klara, a pupil, advised information web site iDnes.cz she was amongst those that police evacuated from the constructing.
’It was terribly scary, there have been numerous policemen in every single place, who had been shouting at us with submachine weapons, telling us to run outdoors,’ she stated.
An e mail despatched to workers and college students on the School of Arts of Charles College had stated a shooter was in certainly one of its buildings and had advised workers to ’keep put’.
’Do not go anyplace, for those who’re within the places of work, lock them and place furnishings in entrance of the door, flip off the lights,’ the e-mail stated.
One pupil, Deda Mrazek, stated she was within the college’s library when the gunman started capturing at his victims.
Sharing an image of scholars hiding behind a pc lab, Deda wrote: ’I’m OK. I used to be within the library on the time of the capturing.
’They despatched us to the again of the pc lab the place there are not any home windows. Phrase has now unfold that the gunman is useless.’
She stated as quickly as they heard the gunman had been killed, the terrified college students all referred to as their households to say that they had been secure.
The federal government stated they’ll maintain an emergency cupboard assembly to debate the capturing at 9pm.
An armed Police officer patrols close to to the scene of a capturing at Charles College in central Prague on Thursday
Members of the emergency service on the scene of a capturing at Charles College in central Prague on Thursday afternoon
Medics wait close to the constructing of Philosophical School of Charles College in downtown Prague on Thursday
Different extraordinary photos present terrified college students cowering on a ledge excessive up on a college in a bid to cover from the gunman after others had been advised to barricade themselves in school rooms
Different extraordinary photos present terrified college students cowering on a ledge excessive up on a college in a bid to cover from the gunman after others had been advised to barricade themselves in school rooms
One pupil, Deda Mrazek, stated she was within the college’s library when the gunman started capturing at his victims. Sharing an image of scholars hiding behind a pc lab, Deda wrote: ’I’m OK. I used to be within the library on the time of the capturing’
Armed police are seen on the balcony of the college in central Prague on Thursday
Police take safety measures as a number of individuals had been killed and injured in a capturing incident close to a college in Prague
An armed Police officer patrols close to to the scene of a capturing at Charles College in central Prague
An ambulance drives in direction of the constructing housing the Philosophical School of Charles College in downtown Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday afternoon
Police within the Czech Republic’s capital urged residents to shelter and keep away from the realm ’as a consequence of an ongoing capturing incident’ near Charles College within the centre of the town
Cops stand on the balcony of Philosophical School of Charles College in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, after they stormed the constructing and killed the shooter
Cops safe an space after a capturing in downtown Prague, Czech Republic, on Thursday
An ambulance drives in direction of the constructing of Philosophical School of Charles College in downtown Prague on Thursday following the capturing
The police have sealed off the sq. and the realm adjoining to the college constructing, which is situated in a busy a part of city that has a well-liked avenue main vacationers to Outdated City Sq.
’Based on preliminary data, the shooter himself needs to be useless, there are useless and wounded on web site, I can’t speculate now in regards to the ultimate quantity,’ Inside Minister Vit Rakusan stated on Czech Tv.
Rakusan added ’no different gunman has been confirmed’ and referred to as on individuals to observe police directions.
Police within the Czech Republic’s capital have urged residents to shelter inside and keep away from the realm as a result of capturing.
President Petr Pavel tweeted: ’I’m shocked by the occasions on the School of Arts of Charles College.
’I want to categorical my deep remorse and honest condolences to the households and family members of the victims that the capturing claimed.
’I need to thank the residents for respecting the directions of the safety forces and offering most cooperation.’
The British Embassy in Prague has urged individuals within the metropolis, a hotspot for vacationers, to keep away from the across the Charles College and the School of Arts.
Prime Minister Petr Fiala cancelled his journey to the east of the nation and was en path to Prague, he stated on X.
Gun crime is comparatively uncommon within the Czech Republic. In December 2019, a 42-year-old gunman killed six individuals at a hospital ready room within the jap Czech metropolis of Ostrava earlier than fleeing and fatally capturing himself, police stated.
In 2015, a person fatally shot eight individuals after which killed himself at a restaurant in Uhersky Brod.