Dutch man among those hurt in Prague shooting that left 17 dead
At least 16 people were killed and 24 others were hurt in a shooting at Charles University in Prague. One Dutch man was injured in the shooting, and was transported to an area hospital, The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. The suspected gunman was also found dead, and police believe he acted alone. It was the deadliest shooting in the Czech Republic since becoming independent 31 years ago, drawing responses from the Dutch king, queen and prime minister.
Of the 24 injured victims, eight were in critical condition at 6:30 p.m., about three hours after the shooting. It was not immediately clear if the injured Dutch man was among the group with severe injuries. Details about his identity, including his age and hometown, were not revealed for privacy reasons, according to ANP.
The perpetrator was identified by police as David Kozák, a 24-year-old who lives about 20 kilometers away from the scene in Kladno. He was found dead by police during a sweep of the university's Faculty of Arts building, where the incident took place.
The gunman was also a student at the faculty. The building is located in the old city center off Jan Palach Square. The violence broke out at about 3:40 p.m. on the fourth floor.
Police closed off the popular square early in their response, saying soon after that they knew there were multiple fatalities and others who were injured. Initially, they reported that at least ten were dead and dozens more were injured. That was later revised up to 17 killed, including the shooter, with eight critically injured, and 16 others hurt.
Police progressively evacuated the university building, where students and staff barricaded themselves. Authorities were still searching for explosives hours later.
It was the first mass shooting in the Czech Republic in four years, when a man brought a gun to an urgent care facility and killed six people before committing suicide. Eight people were also killed in a restaurant shooting in 2015.
The interior minister in the Czech Republic, Vít Rakušan, said there was no immediate indication that the incident was linked to international terrorism. Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda said the shocking situation left him speechless. "All I feel at the moment is sadness," he stated on Thursday. "We have witnessed a tragedy of unprecedented proportions. It is terrible how many innocent lives have been lost."
Official responses from the Netherlands
"Prague is in mourning for the victims of today's shooting at Charles University, a place where young people should feel safe. On this dark day, our thoughts are with the people of the Czech Republic, the families who have lost loved ones and those who have been injured," said King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima in a statement.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte issued his condolences over the mass shooting. "Terrible news from Prague about the deadly shooting at Charles University. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, and I have conveyed my sympathy to Prime Minister Petr Fiala," Rutte wrote in a brief statement.
Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot also reacted with dismay. "Shocked by the news of a shooting at Charles University in Prague. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The Netherlands stands firmly with the Czech Republic and its people."
