In the aftermath of a student shooter claiming 13 lives at a university building in Prague, Czech police have intensified security measures around schools and public structures nationwide.
Charles University in Prague took a somber step by canceling all lectures and events on Friday. Interior Minister Vit Rakusan confirmed the identification of the deceased, clarifying that none were foreigners, while the wounded included citizens from the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands.
Despite the prevalence of firearms in the country, such multiple shootings are uncommon in the central European nation.
The shooter, a 24-year-old student at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts, reportedly died at the university building, potentially by suicide or police intervention.
Authorities revealed that the suspect, with a gun license and no criminal record, had previously killed his father at home before the university attack. Police had initially been seeking him in connection with a plan to end his own life, focusing on another university building where he was expected to attend a lecture.
As Czech citizens mourned outside the university, police declared countrywide preventative measures for soft targets and schools, emphasizing preparedness in the absence of concrete threats.
The government announced Saturday as a national day of mourning. While police investigate potential links to a social media account citing inspiration from a mass shooting in Russia, no confirmation has been provided regarding this connection.
