Prague shooting latest: Bells rung across Czech Republic as nation mourns 14 dead in university attack
Bells rang across the Czech Republic and the national flags on public buildings were at half-staff as people across the country observed a minute of silence to honor the 14 victims of the worst mass killing in Czech history.
Archbishop Jan Graubner served a mass at the main St Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle. “We’re all still in a shock in our own ways,” the archbishop said, adding: “We need to clearly condemn what happened but we also need to look into the future.”
“Nobody should be left alone in these tough moments,” Charles University rector Milena Kralickova said in her remarks toward the end of the Mass.
The gunman behind Thursday’s mass shooting has been identified as 24-year-old David Kozak.
The history student opened fire on the fourth floor of Charles University in Prague, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 20 with legally owned weapons.
He is believed to have killed his father before carrying out the massacre at his university. Authorities on Friday announced that all victims in Thursday’s shooting in Prague have been identified and none of them were foreign citizens.
Key Points
Proofreader, institution head among 14 victims identified by authorities
Gunman named as 24-year-old David Kozak
Gunman killed himself when cornered
Police investigating potential gunman’s Telegram account for evidence
Gunman suspected of two forest murders last week
11:26 , Sam Rkaina
We’re pausing our live coverage of the shooting in Prague but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest updates.
In pictures: Prague is a city in mourning following Czech Republic’s deadliest shooting
09:30 , Tara Cobham
Watch: Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Police in Prague have arrested a man who said he was “inspired” by the Prague shooting on Thursday.
Czech Police said they received a call after the university shooting, with the caller telling police “he was inspired by the shooter,” and that he “wanted to buy a gun and also kill.”
More here.
Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
Bells ring across Czech Republic to mourn shooting victims
07:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Bells rang across the Czech Republic on Saturday and flags flew at half mast as the nation mourned the 14 people killed at a Prague university on Thursday.
Archbishop Jan Graubner served a mass at the main St Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle and the country observed a minute of silence at noon.
“We’re all still in a shock in our own ways,” the archbishop said, adding: “We need to clearly condemn what happened but we also need to look into the future.”
“Nobody should be left alone in these tough moments,” Charles University rector Milena Kralickova said in her remarks toward the end of the Mass.
“It’s been a horrible experience for us all but it still can’t be compared with what the victims had to experience at the time of the attack and what their dear ones have to experience now,” said Milos Vystrcil, speaker of the Senate who came to light a candle.
“I think that to help them at this point we express our support and that’s what we’re all doing now.”
First Prague shooting victim named
06:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The first victim of a mass shooting in central Prague has been named, with 14 people killed by a gunman who opened fire at the prestigious Charles University.
Among those killed was Lenka Hlavkova, the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university’s Faculty of Arts, gunned down on Thursday afternoon by student David Kozak.
“We express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved, especially to the family,” a faculty spokesperson said. “It’s extremely cruel news for all of us. Let’s stay supporting each other,” they said.
Lenka Hlavkova has been confirmed as one of the victims.
Holly Evans reports.
First Prague shooting victim named as more than dozen killed in university massacre
05:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
British honeymooners told to stay indoors during Prague shooting
Lone gunman in Czech mass shooting had no record and slipped through cracks despite owning 8 guns
04:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Czech politicians tend to boast that their country is one of the safest in the world from gun violence. But the worst mass killing in the nation’s history this week — along with other shootings over the last decade — suggest that might not be true.
At the Faculty of Arts department at Charles University, where 14 people were killed and dozens wounded Thursday, the shooter was an excellent student, police said. But the 24-year-old also had a proclivity for firearms, with a license to own eight guns, including two long guns, police said.
Authorities said the lone assailant had no criminal record and therefore did not attract the attention of authorities.
Lone gunman in Czech mass shooting had no record and slipped through cracks despite owning 8 guns
03:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Moment police storm Prague university after shooting captured in bodycam footage
Locals say they ‘don’t feel safe’
03:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The Czech Republic came to a standstill at noon as people across the country observed a minute of silence as part of a national day of mourning for the victims of the country’s worst mass killing.
Locals expressed shock and fear as they grieved the 14 people killed in the mass shooting on Thursday.
“I am shocked. I don’t feel very safe as much as before in a public place, especially in public transportation,” a local told NBC News.
Czech Republic holds a national day of mourning for the victims of its worst mass killing
02:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
National flags on public buildings were at half-staff and people across the Czech Republic are set to observe a minute of silence as the country holds a day of national mourning on Saturday to honor the victims of the worst mass killing in Czech history.
The shooting inside a university building at the heart of the Czech capital on Thursday left 14 dead and dozens injured.
Police and prosecutors said they have evidence the 24-year-old shooter also killed his father earlier in the day and a man and a baby in Prague last week.
Czech Republic holds a national day of mourning for the victims of its worst mass killing
01:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
00:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Watch again: Czech President attends church service for victims of Prague shooting
Piles of ammo, barricaded classrooms and shooter suicide: Police reveal how Prague mass shooting unfolded
Saturday 23 December 2023 23:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The gunman who killed 14 people during a rampage at a university in Prague took his own life after a rooftop shootout, police have revealed.
David Kozak, 24, committed suicide by shooting himself as armed police cornered him on the balcony of the Charles University’s Faculty of Arts building after killing more than a dozen people and injuring 25 more with an assault rifle. Lenka Hlavkova, the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university’s Faculty of Arts, is the first of his victims to be named, a mother who leaves behind a young family with two sons.
As Prague mourns its dead and tries to recover from the deadliest mass shooting in the Czech Republic’s history, authorities shared how the tragic events unfolded on Thursday.
Piles of ammo, barricaded classrooms and shooter suicide: How Prague tragedy unfolded
First Prague shooting victim named as more than a dozen people killed in Charles University massacre
Saturday 23 December 2023 22:30 , Alexander Butler
The first victim of a mass shooting in central Prague has been named, with 14 people killed by a gunman who opened fire at the prestigious Charles University, Holly Evans reports.
Among those killed was Lenka Hlavkova, the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university’s Faculty of Arts, gunned down on Thursday afternoon by student David Kozak.
“We express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved, especially to the family,” a faculty spokesperson said. “It’s extremely cruel news for all of us. Let’s stay supporting each other,” they said.
First Prague shooting victim named as more than dozen killed in university massacre
What we know about the Charles University attack that left 14 dead
Saturday 23 December 2023 21:30 , Alexander Butler
The popular tourist destination of Prague has been left reeling after a lone gunman opened fire on students at a top university, in what has become the country’s worst mass shooting, Athena Stavrou reports.
Social media videos captured the panic that broke out on Thursday afternoon at Charles University in the city centre, with tourists taking cover and a group of desperate students clinging to a building ledge in a bid to save their lives.
Czech police raced to the scene of the shooting at Jan Palach Square shortly after 3pm, and were confronted with the horrifying reality that 13 people had been killed, with the gunman taking his own life shortly afterwards.
Prague mass shooting: What we know about Charles University attack that left 14 dead
Watch: Moment armed police storm Prague university
Saturday 23 December 2023 20:30 , Alexander Butler
The moment armed police stormed a Prague university building after a mass shooting was captured on bodycam footage from the scene on Thursday, 21 December.
Officers entered the Jan Palach library at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts after a gunman opened fire.
At least 14 people were killed and more than 20 were injured in the Czech Republic’s worst-ever mass shooting. David Kozak, 24, has been named as the gunman.
Moment police storm Prague university after shooting captured in bodycam footage
Piles of ammunition and barricaded classrooms: Police reveal how Prague mass shooting unfolded
Saturday 23 December 2023 19:30 , Alexander Butler
The gunman who killed 14 people during a rampage at a university in Prague took his own life after a rooftop shootout, police have revealed, Alex Ross reports.
David Kozak, 24, took his own life by shooting himself as armed police cornered him on the balcony of the Charles University’s Faculty of Arts building.
He had by then killed more than a dozen people and injured 25 more with an assault rifle. Lenka Hlavkova, the head of the Institute of Musicology at the university’s Faculty of Arts, is the first of his victims to be named, a mother who leaves behind a young family with two sons.
Piles of ammo, barricaded classrooms and shooter suicide: How Prague tragedy unfolded
Watch: Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
Saturday 23 December 2023 18:30 , Alexander Butler
Police in Prague arrested a man who said he was “inspired” by the Prague shooting on Thursday 21 December.
Czech Police said they received a call after the university shooting, with the caller telling police “he was inspired by the shooter,” and that he “wanted to buy a gun and also kill.”
Police managed to identify the man a few hours after his initial call and arrested him, which they posted to X, formerly Twitter. Footage shows armed officers forcibly entering the man’s residence.
Czech police have said that since the shooting, they received several cases of people who are allegedly inspired by the university shooting, and are responding instantly to such cases.
Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
Prague Airport evacuated over bomb threat
Saturday 23 December 2023 17:12 , Alexander Butler
Prague Airport has been evacuted over a bomb threat just days after 24-year-old David Kozak went on a shooting rampage and left 14 dead.
“We have received information about a bomb threat in the transit area of Terminal 2. After the evacuation of the affected area, a pyrotechnic inspection was carried out, which was flawless,” the airport said on X.
“The operation of the entire airport has now been restored under increased security measures.”
We have received information about a bomb threat in the transit area of Terminal 2. After the evacuation of the affected area, a pyrotechnic inspection was carried out, which was flawless. The operation of the entire airport has now been restored under increased security… pic.twitter.com/aoH5ukbpGZ
— Prague Airport (@PragueAirport) December 23, 2023
Bells ring across Czech Republic to mourn victims of mass shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 15:00 , Tara Cobham
Bells rang across the Czech Republic on Saturday and flags flew at half mast as the country mourned victims of the country's worst mass shooting that killed 14 at a Prague university on Thursday.
Archbishop Jan Graubner served a mass at the main St. Vitus cathedral at the Prague Castle and the country observed a minute of silence at noon, with people stopping in streets amid heavy rain and snow, and in malls during Christmas shopping.
A 24-year old student went on a shooting rampage at the Charles University's Faculty of Arts in downtown Prague on Thursday, killing students and lecturers before shooting himself as a police squad closed in on him at the top of the school's building.
Relatives, friends and colleagues shared condolences on social networks. More than 25 people were taken to hospitals and 13 suffered serious wounds.
Mourners kept bringing candles and flowers to makeshift memorials outside the Faculty of Arts as well as the Charles University's headquarters nearby in the historic city centre.
"We are from a very small city, near from Prague, from Louny and one of our, not friends, but neighbours in our city died here," said Vlasta Roflik outside the Faculty of Arts. "She was a professor, music professor. It's very sad. Sorry."
Vera Eliaskova said her friend was at the school during the shooting. "She was directly on the fourth floor. Her colleague ran to her door and told her to lock herself and cover ... She covered under the table," she said. "I saw her yesterday and felt sorry for her. She was still shaking."
Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
Saturday 23 December 2023 14:00 , Tara Cobham
Police in Prague arrested a man who said he was “inspired” by the Prague shooting on Thursday 21 December.
Czech Police said they received a call after the university shooting, with the caller telling police “he was inspired by the shooter,” and that he “wanted to buy a gun and also kill.”
Police managed to identify the man a few hours after his initial call and arrested him, which they posted to X, formerly Twitter. Footage shows armed officers forcibly entering the man’s residence.
Czech police have said that since the shooting, they received several cases of people who are allegedly inspired by the university shooting, and are responding instantly to such cases.
Rhys Jones reports:
Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
What we know about Charles University attack that left 14 dead
Saturday 23 December 2023 13:00 , Tara Cobham
The popular tourist destination of Prague has been left reeling after a lone gunman opened fire on students at a top university, in what has become the country’s worst mass shooting.
Social media videos captured the panic that broke out on Thursday afternoon at Charles University in the city centre, with tourists taking cover and a group of desperate students clinging to a building ledge in a bid to save their lives.
Czech police raced to the scene of the shooting at Jan Palach Square shortly after 3pm, and were confronted with the horrifying reality that 13 people had been killed, with the gunman taking his own life shortly afterwards.
Athena Stavrou reports:
Prague mass shooting: What we know about Charles University attack that left 14 dead
Watch live: Czech President attends church service for victims of Prague shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 12:00 , Tara Cobham
Watch live as Czech President Petr Pavel attends a church service for victims of the Charles University shooting.
The Czech Republic has declared Saturday, 23 December, a day of mourning after 14 people were killed and 25 were wounded after a shooting at a Prague university by a 24-year-old student.
Police are working to uncover the motive behind the attack, which is believed to be the worst mass shooting in the country’s history.
Rhys Jones reports:
Watch live: Czech President attends church service for victims of Prague shooting
Watch: Moment Prague police arrest man ‘inspired’ by university shooter
Saturday 23 December 2023 11:06 , Tara Cobham
Czech Republic holds a national day of mourning for the victims of its worst mass killing
Saturday 23 December 2023 10:15 , Tara Cobham
National flags on public buildings were at half-staff and people across the Czech Republic are set to observe a minute of silence as the country holds a day of national mourning on Saturday to honor the victims of the worst mass killing in Czech history.
Bells will toll at churches at noon and a Mass at St. Vitus cathedral in Prague, the biggest in the country, will be celebrated for the victims. President Petr Pavel is scheduled to attend the service that is open to everyone.
Similar religious services will be held in other cities and towns, while Christmas markets in a number of places were closed or reduced their programs amid boosted security measures.
Authorities said that 13 people died at the scene in the Faculty of Arts of Charles University and one died later in a hospital. A total of 25 people were wounded, including three foreign nationals.
Milos Vystrcil, speaker of Parliament's upper house, the Senate, was among many who have been coming together to light candles at an impromptu memorial for the victims created in front of the university headquarters.
"It's been a horrible experience for us all but it still can't be compared with what the victims had to experience at the time of the attack and what their dear ones have to experience now," Vystrcil said. "I think that to help them at this point we express our support and that's what we're all doing now."
Police seek motive for shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 09:31 , Tara Cobham
Police have released no details about a possible motive for the shooting.
The interior minister said Thursday that investigators did not suspect a link to any extremist ideology or groups.
Officials said they believed the gunman acted alone.
He has no criminal record.
Czechs mourn victims of university shooting as police patrol public areas
Saturday 23 December 2023 08:45 , Tara Cobham
Czechs mourned the victims of the country's worst mass shooting as police tightened security around schools and other public buildings across the country on Friday after a student gunman killed 14 people at a Prague university building on Thursday.
At the Charles University headquarters, crowds that included Prime Minister Petr Fiala and U.S. Ambassador Bijan Sabet paid tribute to the victims. Some knelt to light candles and lay flowers while others stood crying and hugging each other.
"We are here to show our support as fellow students," said Czech student Daniel Broz.
"I was on the other side of the river and hearing gunshots, pops and not knowing what is going on and then a flurry of police cars passing by was absolutely surreal especially as a Czech who has never witnessed an event similar to this before."
Charles University cancelled all lectures and events on Friday a day after the shooting in the central European country of 10.9 million where over 300,000 people own guns but mass shootings are rare.
The Health Ministry said 27 people were admitted or treated at six Prague hospitals, many with gunshot wounds. Out of those, 12 remained in serious condition and at least one in critical condition.
One of the victims had died in hospital.
Everything we know about gunman David Kozák
Saturday 23 December 2023 08:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The identity of the gunman who opened fire at a Prague university on Thursday killing 14 people has been revealed.
Student David Kozák opened fire on the fourth floor of Charles University in Jan Palach Square shortly after 3pm, with chilling images appearing of the shooter dressed in black, taking aim from a balcony with a large gun.
Police raced to the scene and evacuated students and tourists near the building in the city centre, with Kozak’s body found a short while later with “devastating injuries”.
Authorities have confirmed that the 24-year-old was a history student at the university and that he acted alone.
Athena Stavrou and Holly Evans report.
All we know about Prague university gunman David Kozák as 14 killed in mass shooting
Watch: People cling to Prague university building ledge during shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
People hid on the ledge of a Prague university building during a mass shooting in which at least 14 people were killed on Thursday, 21 December.
A group wae filmed huddling together below a window on the outside of the Jan Palach Library at Charles University’s Faculty of Arts.
More here.
People cling to Prague university building ledge during mass shooting
Mourners lay tributes at Prague university
Saturday 23 December 2023 06:49 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Mourners placed candles and flowers near Charles University in Prague, a day after a horrific mass shooting.
At least 14 people were killed and more than 20 were injured in the Czech Republic’s worst-ever mass shooting on Thursday.
David Kozak, 24, has been named as the gunman.
More here.
Mourners lay tributes at Prague university after at least 14 killed in mass shooting
Reporter distracts gunman to help people escape
Saturday 23 December 2023 05:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
“Hey, you f*****, here I am, shoot here!” screamed a Czech reporter trying to distract a gunman who killed 14 people at a university building in Prague on Thursday.
Jiri Forman, a reporter for a small security-focused news outfit who said he had experience in war zones, evaded fire from the gunman who was perched on a balcony on the top floor of Charles University’s Faculty of Art.
While ducking behind a corner in a square below, he kept feeding information to police outside and urged them to fire back, while filming continuously on his phone.
Asked by an officer what was he doing, Forman is heard in the footage shouting: “So that he doesn’t shoot at the people! What do you think I am doing, man? There are people there!”His actions have won him plaudits in Czech media, but Forman played down suggestions he was a hero.
“Where I stood it was absolutely safe, nobody was there and I knew I could duck behind an obstacle,” he told Reuters on Friday.
“And if he shoots in my direction, he won’t have the people fleeing, they will have a chance to reach cover. I screamed at him and he started shooting in my direction.”
National day of mourning
Saturday 23 December 2023 05:00 , Athena Stavrou
The Czech government has declared Saturday a national day of mourning to honour the shooting victims, prime minister Petr Fiala said.
It comes after the deadliest shooting in the nation’s history took place in a university building in central Prague on Thursday.
Students, politicians and civilians alike gathered outside the university on Friday in mourning.
Among those paying their respects to the dead at the university was the Czech president Petr Pavel. He said: “No one can imagine the fear and mental strain they went through yesterday. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank everyone for the sincere condolences and words of support, which come from all around the world.”
Do we know what led to the attack?
Saturday 23 December 2023 04:30 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The gunman’s motives for the attack or not yet known, but police were reportedly already searching for David Kozak at the time of the incident.
Authorities are probing the potential connection between a series of violent, expletive-laden Russian-language messages posted on Telegram, including a message posted by the shooter saying: “I always wanted to kill. I thought I would be a maniac in the future.”
One of the messages posted by the user indicated that inspiration for the attack may have been drawn from two previous mass shootings in Russia—one occurring this month at a school in Bryansk near the Ukraine border, and the second in 2021 in Kazan, the capital of the Russian region of Tatarstan.
“I was very inspired by Alina … very much,” a message shared on 10 December said, just three days after a 14-year-old Russian girl, Alina Afanaskina, opened fire on her classmates.
It is not thought that Kozak was linked to any extremist ideology or groups.
All victims in Prague shooting identified, say authorities
Saturday 23 December 2023 03:53 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
All 14 victims in Prague’s university shooting have been identified, the Czech authorities announced on Friday.
None of the victims were foreign citizens, interior minister Vit Rakusan told reporters. Czech Police have already contacted the families of the deceased and the injured, the minister added.
“Most of the injured are in stable condition, with one person currently in serious condition.”Lenka Hlávková, the head of the Charles University’s Institute of Music Sciences, was named as one of the victims of the attack.
National newspaper Lidovky identified its proofreader and student, Lucie Špindlerová, as one of the people killed in the attack.
Two UAE and one Dutch citizen among those wounded in Prague shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 03:16 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Two citizens from the United Arab Emirates and one from the Netherlands were among the two dozen people who sustained injuries during the mass shooting in Prague, interior minister Vit Rakusan said.
At least 14 people were killed in a shooting rampage after a 24-year-old gunman opened fire at the Charles University in Prague on Thursday afternoon.
The shooter, identified as David Kozak, turned the gun to himself after being cornered by the city police.
Gunman was ‘excellent student’, says police chief
Saturday 23 December 2023 03:01 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
The gunman behind the Czech Republic’s worst-ever mass shooting has been identified as 24-year-old David Kozak.
He lived in a village, located 20km outside Prague, and was a student of history at the university, authorities said on Friday.
He was an “excellent student”, Prague police chief Martin Vondrasek said, adding that the student legally owned several guns and was heavily armed during the incident.
Watch: Moment armed police storm Prague university after shooting captured in bodycam footage
Saturday 23 December 2023 03:00 , Athena Stavrou
Bodycam footage released by Czech Police shows officers turning up and entering the university building before scaling the steps in search of the suspect.
Officers are then seen searching classrooms before carrying injured victims on a stretcher outside.
You can watch it in full below. A warning, the footage may be be distressing to watch.
‘Piles of ammunition’ in University corridor
Saturday 23 December 2023 02:00 , Athena Stavrou
The director of Prague Police told a press conference on Friday that there was “piles of ammunition” in the corridors of the Charles University Faculty of Arts building.
He was responding to criticisim from people on social media who say police cornered gunman David Kozak too quickly.
He defended his officers, saying they had a challenging job to first locate the shooter, while protesting members of the public.
He said: “I can say that I believe the fast response and arrival of police officers on the scene prevented further bloodshed and further victims.
“What I saw inside the corridors, which were piles of ammunition, unbelievable quantities, if that person hadn’t been cornered in time he might, or might not of have continued.
“Given what I’ve seen and what he was prepared for I really need to thank my people for professional response.”
Who is David Kozák?
Saturday 23 December 2023 01:00 , Athena Stavrou
The identity of the gunman has now been revealed to be student David Kozák, who had reportedly been studying for a masters degree in world history with a special focus on the history of Poland.
Local media have reported that Kozák originally graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and was described as an excellent student with no previous criminal convictions.
His father’s body had been found earlier in the day in his hometown of Hostoun. Police were already searching for Kozák at the time of the mass shooting in relation to another death in the village of Kladensko.
He is suspected of being responsible for the murders of a father and his four-month-old baby daughter, who were killed in a forest on 15 December.
At a press conference, police spokesperson Martin VondráÄek said: “We are working very seriously with the fact that the attacker from the Faculty of Philosophy is also responsible for the two victims from the end of last week in Klanovicky les.”
Timeline of events leading up to the shooting
Saturday 23 December 2023 00:01 , Athena Stavrou
12.26pm - Police received a call from someone saying her friend had sent her a suicidal text message, and was not responding to calls
12.40pm - Report of body found in the village of Hostoun. Search of home finds weapons.
12.42pm - Report of suspect who said he was going to kill himself was on his way to Prague
13.15pm - National search is declared for suspect.
13.27pm - Request for police to carry out search of Faculty of Arts at Charles University
13.49pm - More information received that the suspect is in the Faculty of Arts building
14.59pm - The shooting begins
In pictures: Candles and flowers laid outside Charles University
Friday 22 December 2023 23:00 , Athena Stavrou
First victim named
Friday 22 December 2023 22:00 , Athena Stavrou
The first victim of the mass shooting yesterday was named on Friday as Lenka Hlávková.
The Institute of Music Science at Charles University’s philosophy department posted a message of “deep regret” over her death on its Facebook page.
It read: “On the basis of verified information from the family and with their permission, we are announcing that our colleague and director of the Institute of Musicology of the Faculty of Music of the Faculty of Music, Lenka Hlávková did not survive yesterday’s attack.
“We express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved, first and foremost to the family. This is extremely cruel news for all of us. Let’s stay in support of each other.”
No other victims have been named yet.
Witness account from man who was shot at
Friday 22 December 2023 21:02 , Athena Stavrou
Jiri Forman, a Czech journalist, witnessed yesterday’s attack at Charles University.
The reporter bravely shouted at the gunman from Jan Palach Square in an attempt to stop him from shooting at students and filmed the incident.
“Hey, you f****r, here I am, shoot here!” He screamed.
Asked by an officer what was he doing, Forman is heard in the footage shouting: “So that he doesn’t shoot at the people! What do you think I’m am I doing, man? There are people there!”
His actions have won him plaudits in Czech media, but Forman played down suggestions he was a hero.
“Where I stood it was absolutely safe, nobody was there and I knew I could duck behind an obstacle,” he told Reuters on Friday.
“And if he shoots in my direction, he won’t have the people fleeing, they will have a chance to reach cover. I screamed at him and he started shooting in my direction.”
“The policeman I believe shot three times at the attacker. I think this threw him off balance. Then he also hears that police are getting close from inside, so he shot himself,” Mr Forman said.
He added: “I did things I believed were right, and unfortunately, the sad heroes are the relatives who lost their closest ones at this Christmas time, and policemen and rescue services.”
Where did the shooting take place?
Friday 22 December 2023 20:22 , Athena Stavrou
Lone gunman David Kozak shot 14 people dead at Charles University in Prague on Thursday.
The attack happened in the Faculty of Arts building in Jan Palach Square in the city centre, just an eight-minute walk from Prague’s busy Christmas market.
Earlier in the day, a friend of Kozak’s had alerted police to a message she had received from him threatening to commit suicide. Officers then discovered Kozak’s father dead in his home and put out a search warrant for the 24-year-old.
Having determined he was going to Prague, police evacuated another Charles University building he was due to attend a lecture in at 2pm.
Shortly after, the shooting began in the Faculty of Arts.
Watch: Mourners lay tributes at Prague university after at least 14 killed in mass shooting
Friday 22 December 2023 20:07 , Athena Stavrou
At the Charles University headquarters, crowds that included Prime Minister Petr Fiala and US Ambassador Bijan Sabet paid tribute to the victims. Some knelt to light candles and lay flowers while others stood crying and hugging each other.
Charles University cancelled all lectures and events on Friday a day after the shooting in the central European country of 10.9 million where over 300,000 people own guns but mass shootings are rare.
“We are here to show our support as fellow students,” said Czech student Daniel Broz.
“I was on the other side of the river and hearing gunshots, pops and not knowing what is going on and then a flurry of police cars passing by was absolutely surreal especially as a Czech who has never witnessed an event similar to this before.”
Piles of ammunition and barricaded classrooms: Police reveal how Prague mass shooting unfolded
Friday 22 December 2023 19:12 , Athena Stavrou
As Prague mourns its dead and tries to recover from the deadliest mass shooting in the Czech Republic’s history, police revealed how events unfolded on Thursday.
A student at the university, Kozak is believed to have killed his father in his hometown of Hostoun before travelling 24km (15 miles) to the country’s capital to launch the devastating attack.
As more information is revealed about yesterday’s horrific mass shooting in central Prague, Alex Ross takes a closer look at how the incident unfolded according to authorities:
Read the full report below:
Piles of ammo, barricaded classrooms and shooter suicide: How Prague tragedy unfolded
Czech Police arrest man ‘inspired’ by shooting
Friday 22 December 2023 18:41 , Athena Stavrou
Czech Police said they had arrested a man who had said he was ‘inspired’ by yesterday’s shooting and wanted to buy a gun.
The force shared a video of officers arresting the man soon after the call was made and he was identified.
In a separate post on X, they said they had been made aware of several cases of people who were allegedly inspired by the incident in Prague yesterday.
Včera o půl jedenácté nám volající sdělil, že se inspiroval střelcem, chce si pořídit zbraň a také zabíjet. Po několika hodinách byl ztotožněn a níže máte video z jeho zadržení. Úkony stále probíhají, zatím kvalifikováno jako šíření poplašné zprávy. #policiepha https://t.co/5krNELkg7v pic.twitter.com/AgwWHnfDK1
— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) December 22, 2023
How did the shooter own guns?
Friday 22 December 2023 17:59 , Athena Stavrou
Before shooting 14 people dead at a university building in central Prague, David Kozak had no criminal record. He did, however, own several guns.
The 24-year-old had a proclivity for firearms, with a license to own eight guns, including two long guns, police said.
Police chief Tomas Vondrasek said officers found an arsenal of weapons with a lot of ammunition that the suspect had to carry unnoticed to the university building before opening fire.
In 2021, the Czech Parliament amended the Constitution’s Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms to give people a right to defend themselves or others with a gun. That move, adopted after more than 100,000 people signed a petition in support, means that the right cannot be limited by a separate law.
In the country of 10.9 million, 314,000 people had a gun license by the end of last year and owned almost a million various weapons.
To get a license, people need to be a Czech resident, be older than 21 (that doesn’t apply for sports and hunting), be in good health, mentally responsible, reliable and without a criminal record.
Written and practical tests, including shooting at a target, are also part of the procedure.But once a person meets all the requirements, the authorities who keep the records don’t need to inform police about the numbers of guns people have, Ales Strach, a senior Prague police officer said Friday.
Students pay respects outside University building
Friday 22 December 2023 17:06 , Athena Stavrou
Political leaders, students, friends of the victims and others came together today to light candles during an impromptu vigil for the victims of a mass shooting at a University in Prague.
“A few of my friends study at the philosophy faculty at Charles University,” said Kristof Unger, a student who attended the vigil. “They have been really traumatized by the shooting there and I just wanted to make them feel a little bit better.”
“We are here to show our support as fellow students,” said Czech student Daniel Broz.
“I was on the other side of the river and hearing gunshots, pops and not knowing what is going on and then a flurry of police cars passing by was absolutely surreal especially as a Czech who has never witnessed an event similar to this before.”
Robert Hanus, another of the vigil’s attendees, said everyone should come together to take a stand against the attack. “This shouldn’t be normalized,” he said.The university’s rector, Milena Kralickova, was also among the throngs lighting candles. “The academic community is shaken, deeply shaken,” she said.
Police match weapon at suspect’s house to one used in forest killings
Friday 22 December 2023 16:30 , Athena Stavrou
Czech Police have matched a weapon found at the University gunman’s house to one used in the killing of two people in a forest last week.
Detectives had been working on the theory that the killer was responsible for the deaths of a father and his four-month-old daughter last week in the Klanovicky forest near Prague. They believe he chose his victims at random.
Now, authorities confirmed that a weapon used in that incident had been matched to one in the home of the man, named widely as David Kozak, who shot 14 people dead yesterday.
A translation of a Czech Police statement read: “Ballistics expertise has shown a MATCH of the weapon that was used in Klánovický les with the weapon that was found in the house where the shooter from the university lived.”
‼️Mimořádná zpráva ‼️
Balistická expertiza prokázala SHODU zbraně, která byla použita v Klánovickém lese, se zbraní, která byla nalezena v domě, kde bydlel střelec z univerzity. #policiepp #policiepha— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) December 22, 2023
Timeline of events
Friday 22 December 2023 16:05 , Athena Stavrou
The Czech Police have released a timeline of events.
Gunman David Kozak killed 14 people in the space of 20 minutes when he opened fire at a university campus in Prague.
12:26: Kozak’s friend informs police that she had received a suicidal text message from him, and that he was no longer answering his phone.
12:47: Police find Kozak’s father dead at his home.
13:15: Police announced a nationwide search for Kozak as a suspect.
13:49: Police believe Kozak is heading for one of the university campus’ in Prague.
14:22: Police started an evacuation of one campus.
14:59: Shooting starts at the university building in Jan Palach Square and police officers arrive minutes later.
15:11: Kozak is spotted on the roof with a gun.
15:20: Kozak shoots himself with his gun while being approached by police.
‘Really traumatised'
Friday 22 December 2023 14:21 , Alex Ross
As the country mourns the loss of 14 people to yesterday’s shooting, students at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University are still very much impacted by the events.
Kristof Unger, a student, said: “A few of my friends study at the philosophy faculty at Charles University.
“And they have been really traumatised by the shooting there and I just wanted to make them feel a little bit better.”
Robert Hanus, another of the vigil’s attendees, said people should come together to make a stance against the attack. “This shouldn’t be normalised,” he said.
The university’s rector Milena Kralickova lit a candle, saying: “The academic community is shaken, deeply shaken.”
Gunman was carrying numerous weapons
Friday 22 December 2023 13:44 , Jane Dalton
Gunman David Kozak was carrying numerous weapons when he carried out his shootings, police have revealed.
They said the 24-year-old student of the arts faculty in all likelihood shot himself after armed officers cornered him on a balcony and he dropped his long-barrel gun with sights.
“He was left with a shotgun which does not have long range, and when we were nearing the balcony he decided to commit suicide,” said Petr Matejcek, director of the Prague regional police.
No shame in asking for mental health help, says Czech minister
Friday 22 December 2023 13:15 , Jane Dalton
Czech interior minister Vít Rakusan has urged people traumatised by the shootings to ring special helplines.
The lines are manned by experienced experts, he said.
The national mental health institute had instructions on how to act.
“It’s not shameful to ask for help,” he said.
In pictures: Candles and flowers laid outside Charles University
Friday 22 December 2023 12:31 , Alex Ross
Police publish bodycam footage of response to shooting
Friday 22 December 2023 12:09 , Alex Ross
The footage was first shown in the press conference earlier, but now it’s been released in its entirety on social media.
It shows officers turning up and entering the university building before scaling the steps in search of the suspect.
Officers are then seen searching classrooms before carrying injured victims on a stretcher outside.
You can watch it in full below. A warning, the footage maybe be distressing to watch.
Everything we know so far
Friday 22 December 2023 12:00 , Sam Rkaina
Following this morning’s press conference, we’ve put together a piece on everything we know so far.
New details have emerged about how the attack unfolded, including how the gunman died.
Prague mass shooting: What we know about Charles University attack that left 14 dead
First victim named
Friday 22 December 2023 11:47 , Alex Ross
The first victim of the mass shooting yesterday has been named as Lenka Hlávková.
The Institute of Music Science at Charles University’s philosophy department posted a message of “deep regret” over her death on its Facebook page.
It read: “On the basis of verified information from the family and with their permission, we are announcing that our colleague and director of the Institute of Musicology of the Faculty of Music of the Faculty of Music, Lenka Hlávková did not survive yesterday’s attack.
“We express our deepest condolences to all the bereaved, first and foremost to the family. This is extremely cruel news for all of us. Let’s stay in support of each other.”
Press conference now over
Friday 22 December 2023 11:41 , Sam Rkaina
A few key points from the press conference:
*The police shared bodycam footage of officers entering the Charles University building and evacuating the site. Gunman David Kozak killed himself when he became aware of officers nearby.
*Kozak came prepared for more bloodshed, according to police who say there were piles of ammunition in the corridors.
*All 14 victims of the attack have been identified. All those who had initially been in a critical condition are now in a stable condition in hospital.
*Kozak was one of the suspects in the murders of a man and a baby found in a forest near Prague last week. Investigators were not following the 24-year-old and insist they acted properly.
Police were not following suspect before attack
Friday 22 December 2023 11:23 , Alex Ross
The press conference has now been opened up for journalists’ questions. One journalist asks the lead investigator in the forest murders if, as the shooter was a suspect, was he being followed.
The investigator responds: “No, I saw the procedure that we followed and I’m convinced we haven’t made any mistakes. We were analysing the data. The data indicated that he was one of the suspects so I believe we acted in the correct way.”
He was one of a “number” of suspects, the investigator adds.
All injured taken to hospital in critical condition ‘stabilised'
Friday 22 December 2023 11:15 , Alex Ross
Official from Prague rescue service thanks his officers for their response. He says the time the police got to the shooting enabled his team to provide medical care to those injured.
All those injured were taken to “well prepared” hospitals which gave “maximum assistance”, he said.
He said all those taken into hospital in a critical condition had been stabilised.
Bodycam footage from police officers
Friday 22 December 2023 11:11 , Alex Ross
The start of the press conference saw bodycam footage shown to journalists of police officers storming the building in search of the suspect.
Here is some of the footage:
