Police identify all 14 university shooting victims, with three foreigners injured

The Czech Interior Ministry is in direct contact with the victims' families, and is liaising with the relevant consulates and embassies in Prague.

ČTK

Written by ČTK Published on 22.12.2023 08:53:00 (updated on 22.12.2023) Reading time: 2 minutes

Police in Prague confirmed they have identified all 14 victims in Thursday's fatal shooting at the Faculty of Arts building at Charles University. Three foreigners are injured.

Prague Police President Martin Vondrášek said on Thursday that the shooting left 14 innocent people dead and another 25 injured. The killer committed suicide, making the total death toll 15.

Police worked all night in the building of the Faculty of Arts on Jan Palach Square. "We are currently still working at the scene of the shooting. We have identified 11 of the deceased and are working to confirm the identities of the others. We expect to complete initial actions at the scene in the morning," police wrote on the X network.

In a statement on social media, police said they have implemented heightened security measures at potential soft targets nationwide such as schools, hospitals, and cultural events in the wake of the attack, though they are not aware of any specific threats.

A religious service for the victims of the tragic shooting at Charles University in Prague will be held at St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle on Saturday at 11 a.m. The service will be officiated by Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner.

"Starting today, we have taken nationwide precautionary measures in relation to soft targets and schools. We are not aware of any specific threat and indeed this is a precautionary measure - a signal that we are here and ready," the statement said.

Officers with long guns will be visible at some locations as part of the temporary security increase, police added. "We are currently contacting the operators of the identified establishments (i.e. soft targets) and familiarizing them with this measure," officials said.

Thursday's mass shooting at the Faculty of Arts building in central Prague is the deadliest firearm attack in Czech Republic history. The shooter, who apparently died by suicide after carrying out the attack, is also deceased.

The 24-year-old suspect was a student from a village near Prague who legally owned firearms and had no criminal record, according to police. Investigators said he was allegedly inspired by a similar case abroad and believe he acted alone in what they described as a premeditated attack.

The incident has sparked widespread shock and mourning in the nation, with the Czech government declaring Saturday a day of national mourning in honor of the victims of the tragedy.

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