A man at Prague’s Charles University shot dead at least 15 people and wounded numerous others before the police “eliminated” him, the authorities said on Thursday.
Panic ensued from the violence in the historic core of the Czech Republic city, prompting a major police response and advisories to stay indoors, reported AFP.
The Charles University’s Faculty of Arts, located close to popular tourist destinations including the Charles Bridge from the fourteenth century, is where the shooting took place.
“At the moment I can say there are 11 dead people on the scene including the gunman,” emergency services spokeswoman Jana Postova told public Czech TV.
“The building is currently being evacuated and there are several dead and dozens of wounded people on the scene,” police said on X, formerly Twitter.
Nine major injuries, at least five moderate injuries, and up to ten minor injuries were initially recorded by emergency personnel.
Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told public on Czech TV that the gunman was “probably dead”, citing “preliminary information”.
“A large number of ambulance units” were sent to the faculty, according to Prague’s emergency service, which stated on X that the injuries ranged from minor to very serious.
In the historic core of Prague, there was a bomb and a gunman on the roof of a building, according to the private Nova TV.
Rakusan said “no other gunman has been confirmed” and called on people to follow police instructions.
Police closed the area and asked people living nearby to stay at home.
“No other gunman has been confirmed,” Rakusan declared, urging the public to heed police orders.
Residents in the vicinity were instructed to stay indoors while the police cordoned the area.
