World News

Prague: Gunman ‘Killed’ Father Before Going On Shooting Spree. Key Points

December 22, 2023
Bharat Times

The Czech Republic declared Saturday as national day of mourning after a gunman went on a shooting spree and killed 14 people and injured 25 at a Prague university. A 24-year-old university student opened fire at several people at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University in the centre of the Czech capital.

The gunman, identified as David Kozak, was “eliminated” by police. Kozak is believed to have also killed his father and may be linked to the deaths of two people last week, BBC reported.

Here is what we know on the Prague University gunman.

Prague Shooter Top Points

  • A 24-year-old university student named David Kozak went on a killing spree on Thursday at around 3:00 pm (local time) and opened fire in the corridors and classrooms of the building. 

  • He was a Polish history student at Prague’s Charles University.

  • Police officials described him as an excellent student with no criminal record.

  • David Kozak legally owned several guns. According to police officials, he was heavily armed and was carrying a lot of ammunition when he entered the university.

  • During the attack, he suffered “devastating injuries”.

  • There was “nothing to suggest that he had an accomplice.”

  • According to the local media, Kozak created social media content wherein he engaged in contemplations of suicide and mass killings. 

  • The police, as well as the local media, claimed that Kozak was inspired by “a terrible event abroad.” In a post, Kozak cited a 14-year-old Russian school shooter who killed his classmate and wounded five others as an inspiration.

  • Police officials believe that Kozak murdered his father earlier on Thursday in his hometown, Houston. 

  • He is also believed to be behind the murder of a two-month-old girl.

After the incident, people lit candles and left flowers near the scene of the shooting on Friday in memory of the deceased. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala in a statement said, “We are all shocked by this horrendous act. It is hard to find the words to express condemnation on the one hand and, on the other, the pain and sorrow that our entire society is feeling in these days before Christmas,” as reported by BBC.