The aftermath of the chaotic shooting incident at Charles University in Prague remains unsettling. Initially, reports suggested 15 casualties, including the gunman. Yet, Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan clarified on national TV that 13 individuals, plus the perpetrator, lost their lives in the crime that took place on Thursday.
Boasting candles and flowers, an impromptu memorial site was erected not far from Prague's renowned Charles Bridge. Among the 25 victims who sustained injuries, three were foreigners – one of them, a Dutch citizen confirmed by the Dutch Foreign Ministry. Grieving and shocked, the Czech government officially declared December 23 as a national day of mourning.
As authorities continue to delve into the shooter's motives, the victim's identities unearthed, with the 13 being the victims of the maniacal gunman and himself. The search for a plausible reason behind the senseless act continues, with the assailant, a student of the university, acting alone.
Although labeled as a rampage, suspicions of a terroristic connection were dismissed. The attack, taking place at the Faculty of Philosophy at Charles University in Prague, was orchestrated by a 24-year-old identified as David K., after police discovered his father's lifeless body in the village of Hostoun, west of Prague. Police Chief Martin Vondrasek disclosed that the shooter, with intentions of self-murder, had traveled to the Czech capital.
The police intensified their search within the main building of the Faculty of Philosophy, suspecting the 24-year-old might be attending a lecture. Regrettably, the gunman managed to evade capture, moving to another building and carrying out the deadly act when the police arrived. The first intelligence of gunshots was reported around 3:00 PM, with the swift response team arriving on the scene within twelve minutes – the body of the shooter was then discovered.
International concern snowballed as news of the senseless slaughter in Prague spread. Condolences pouring in, Germany's Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock offered their deepest sympathies.
The investigation into the motivation behind the heinous act of murder and manslaughter continues as authorities sift through the assailant's past, determined to uncover the truth behind the devastating rampage.
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Enrichment Data:
- The shooting incident resulted in 13 confirmed deaths including the gunman, with 25 individuals reporting injuries, 10 of whom received serious wounds.
- There is no evidence linking the crime to international terrorism.
- The gunman, 24-year-old David K., had previously killed his 55-year-old father in Hostoun, west of Prague. Additionally, he was reportedly influenced by a similar incident in Russia and was a legal gun owner.
