New Delhi: Czech police on Thursday said that a mass shooting at a university in downtown Prague has killed at least 10 people and wounded another 30, reported news agency Associated Press.
Czech police said that the person who opened fire was eliminated. But, the police gave no details about the victims or the circumstances of Thursday’s gunfire in the Czech Republic’s capital.
“Based on the initial information we have, we can confirm dead and wounded people on the scene,” the police said in a social media post.
Na základě prvotních informací můžeme potvrdit, že na místě jsou mrtví i zranění lidé.
— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) December 21, 2023
In another post, police said the “gunman was eliminated” but they were still working to evacuate people from the building, “and there are several dead and dozens of wounded people on the scene.”
Střelec byl eliminován !!! Celá budova je v současné chvíli evakuována a na místě je několik mrtvých a desítky raněných.
— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) December 21, 2023
An email sent to staff and students at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, seen by Reuters, had said a shooter was in one of its buildings and had told staff to “stay put”.
“Don’t go anywhere, if you’re in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights,” the email said.
The police have sealed off the square and the area adjacent to the university building, which is located in a busy part of town that has a popular street leading tourists to Old Town Square
“According to preliminary information, the shooter himself should be dead, there are dead and wounded on site, I will not speculate now about the final number,” Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said on Czech Television, reported Reuters.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Petr Fiala cancelled his trip to the east of the country and was en route to Prague, he said on X.