A mass shooting in downtown Prague has seen 10 people killed and left around 30 people injured. According to Czech police and the city’s rescue service, the individual responsible for the shooting is also deceased.
Authorities have not provided specific details about the victims or the circumstances surrounding the incident in the Czech Republic’s capital.
The police responded to reports of a shooting at a school in Jan Palach Square, leading to the deployment of officers to the scene.
Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda confirmed the evacuation of the philosophy department at Charles University, located in the square. The police department sealed off the area and advised people to leave the surrounding streets and stay indoors.
Images shared on social media said to be of the shooter show a man in black perched on a balcony and holding a rifle with a scope.
Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan assured the public that no additional assailant was present at the scene and urged cooperation with the ongoing police investigation.
The square remains cordoned off, and the police have advised citizens to follow safety measures.
Prague’s rescue service confirmed a total of 11 casualties, including the shooter, with around 30 others sustaining various injuries, including nine individuals in critical condition.
Pavel Nedoma, the director of the Rudolfinum Gallery also situated in the square, reported witnessing the assailant firing shots from a window towards the nearby Manes bridge spanning the Vltava River.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Petr Fiala promptly cancelled his scheduled events and is en route to Prague, expressing his commitment to addressing the aftermath of this regrettable occurrence.
