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Coordinates: 50°05′21″N 14°24′58″E / 50.08917°N 14.41611°E / 50.08917; 14.41611
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A police officer with [[Interpol]] Prague identified the perpetrator as David K., a 24-year-old world history student,<ref name="Novinky"></ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 December 2023 |title=Prague shooting: Gunman at Prague university who killed 15 was student – police |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-67795251 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221180049/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-67795251 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> who had graduated with a bachelor's degree in history and European studies from the Faculty of Arts.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Miroslav |last=Elsnic |url=https://www.denik.cz/krimi/strelba-v-praze-co-vime-o-utocnikovi-20241221.html |title=Co se ví o útočníkovi na fakultě v Praze? Zřejmě to byl student, měl více zbraní |website=[[Deník]] |date=21 December 2023 |language=cs |access-date=21 December 2023 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221190926/https://www.denik.cz/krimi/strelba-v-praze-co-vime-o-utocnikovi-20241221.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Czech Police Chief {{Interlanguage link|Martin Vondrášek|cs|Martin Vondrášek}} said that the shooter had a gun permit and owned several weapons.<ref name="CNN" /> The perpetrator was also a customer of a Prague gun store.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Takový nevýrazný člověk." Kdo je střelec z filozofické fakulty |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-zivot-v-cesku-ze-chce-zabijet-psal-na-telegramu-kdo-je-strelec-z-filozoficke-fakulty-242319 |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=[[Seznam Zprávy]] |language=cs |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221200101/https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-zivot-v-cesku-ze-chce-zabijet-psal-na-telegramu-kdo-je-strelec-z-filozoficke-fakulty-242319 |url-status=live}}</ref>
A police officer with [[Interpol]] Prague identified the perpetrator as David K., a 24-year-old world history student,<ref name="Novinky"></ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 December 2023 |title=Prague shooting: Gunman at Prague university who killed 15 was student – police |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-67795251 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221180049/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-67795251 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> who had graduated with a bachelor's degree in history and European studies from the Faculty of Arts.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Miroslav |last=Elsnic |url=https://www.denik.cz/krimi/strelba-v-praze-co-vime-o-utocnikovi-20241221.html |title=Co se ví o útočníkovi na fakultě v Praze? Zřejmě to byl student, měl více zbraní |website=[[Deník]] |date=21 December 2023 |language=cs |access-date=21 December 2023 |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221190926/https://www.denik.cz/krimi/strelba-v-praze-co-vime-o-utocnikovi-20241221.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Czech Police Chief {{Interlanguage link|Martin Vondrášek|cs|Martin Vondrášek}} said that the shooter had a gun permit and owned several weapons.<ref name="CNN" /> The perpetrator was also a customer of a Prague gun store.<ref>{{Cite web |title="Takový nevýrazný člověk." Kdo je střelec z filozofické fakulty |url=https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-zivot-v-cesku-ze-chce-zabijet-psal-na-telegramu-kdo-je-strelec-z-filozoficke-fakulty-242319 |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=[[Seznam Zprávy]] |language=cs |archive-date=21 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221200101/https://www.seznamzpravy.cz/clanek/domaci-zivot-v-cesku-ze-chce-zabijet-psal-na-telegramu-kdo-je-strelec-z-filozoficke-fakulty-242319 |url-status=live}}</ref>


Kozák praised other school shooters on his Telegram account, which he had kept private until just before the attack.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crisp |first=James |date=2023-12-21 |title=Prague gunman David Kozak shared mass shooting fantasies online|work=[[Telegraph.co.uk|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/12/21/prague-shooter-david-kozak-always-wanted-to-kill-telegram/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
The shooter praised other school shooters on his Telegram account, which he had kept private until just before the attack.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Crisp |first=James |date=2023-12-21 |title=Prague gunman David K. shared mass shooting fantasies online|work=[[Telegraph.co.uk|The Telegraph]] |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/12/21/prague-shooter-david-kozak-always-wanted-to-kill-telegram/ |access-date=2023-12-22 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>


==Reactions==
==Reactions==

Revision as of 08:17, 22 December 2023

2023 Prague shooting
Faculty of Arts, Charles University and Mánes Bridge, the sites of shooting
2023 Prague shootings is located in Prague city centre
2023 Prague shootings
2023 Prague shootings (Prague city centre)
LocationHostouň and Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
Coordinates50°05′21″N 14°24′58″E / 50.08917°N 14.41611°E / 50.08917; 14.41611
Date21 December 2023
c. 15:00 – 15:20 (CET, UTC+1)
Attack type
School shooting, mass shooting, murder–suicide, spree shooting, mass murder, patricide
WeaponAR-10-style rifle[1]
Deaths16[a]
Injured25
PerpetratorDavid Kozák[2][3]

On 21 December 2023, 14 people, and the shooter,[4] were killed in a mass shooting at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University, on Jan Palach Square in central Prague, Czech Republic.[5][6][7] Another 25 were injured, 3 of them foreigners.[4] Before the attack at the university, the perpetrator's father was found dead at his home in Hostouň.[8]

Police arrived and closed off a large area surrounding the scene of the shooting.[7][9] The perpetrator shot himself dead after having been engaged by the police officers.[7][10]

The incident is the deadliest mass shooting in the Czech Republic's history since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993[11] and is one of the deadliest mass shootings in Europe since the Bataclan theatre massacre in 2015.[12]

Events

Klánovice Forest nature reserve murders

On 15 December 2023, a 32-year-old father and his infant child in a stroller were shot dead in the Klánovice Forest nature reserve on the eastern outskirts of Prague.[13] The police conducted detailed search of the entire forest with hundreds of police officers and a special task force was set up in order to find the perpetrator. However on 20 December, the police informed the public that they have no leads in the case, and continue with utmost effort into finding the perpetrator.[14][15] On the same day, the RKBA-oriented website zbrojnice.com noted similarity of the case with 2005 "forest killer" murders, in which a former police officer killed three random victims in forests as a preparation for planned mass murder in Prague Metro, which was prevented by his early arrest; the article ended with appeal to readers to remain vigilant and carry their concealed firearms.[16]

Five hours after the attack at the university, the police released information that they found evidence in the perpetrator's house linking him to the Klánovice Forest murders.[17]

Hostouň familicide, police manhunt

On 21 December 2023 at 12:20 CEST, the police were allerted by the perpetrator's mother that she was informed that her son was planning to commit suicide, and that he was en route from his home town of Hostouň to Prague. At 12:45, the police found the body of the perpetrator's father in his home.[18] Detailed search of the house was complicated by improvised explosive devices, which however failed to explode.[19] The police found out that the perpetrator was a student of the Faculty of Arts at Charles University and that he was supposed to attend a lecture at the school which was set to start at 14:00 CEST. A search warrant was issued and published immediately afterwards; the warrant indicated that the perpetrator was armed and dangerous.[18] Police also commenced security operation at Václav Havel Airport Prague,[20] where the shooter's father worked in the airport security department.[21]

The police commenced evacuation of the Faculty of Arts building in Celetná street, where the lecture was supposed to take place; the evacuation was finished at 14:22 CEST, however the perpetrator was not found in the building nor in its vicinity.[18] In 14:59 CEST, as the manhunt was unfolding, the police received their first calls about a shooting taking place in the Faculty of Arts building at Jan Palach Square, about 12 minutes walk from the evacuated building in Celetná.[18]

Charles University shooting

The Faculty of Arts building at Charles University

The first police units reached the building within minutes. At 15:20, the perpetrator committed suicide on the roof of the building after having been previously engaged by gunfire by officers.[22] Police later searched Jan Palach Square and a balcony for explosives.[23]

A video by reporter Jiří Forman showed the shooter at the school with a rifle. He shouted at him, "I'm here, shoot here!", in an attempt to draw his fire away from students evacuating the building.[24][better source needed]

Victims

14 people at the university were killed and 25 were injured. Some victims were said to have died when they fell off a ledge as they hid from the shooter. The shooter killed his father at their home.[25]

Perpetrator

A police officer with Interpol Prague identified the perpetrator as David K., a 24-year-old world history student,[26][27] who had graduated with a bachelor's degree in history and European studies from the Faculty of Arts.[28] Czech Police Chief Martin Vondrášek [cs] said that the shooter had a gun permit and owned several weapons.[9] The perpetrator was also a customer of a Prague gun store.[29]

The shooter praised other school shooters on his Telegram account, which he had kept private until just before the attack.[30]

Reactions

Domestic

Interior Minister Vít Rakušan said that there were no other shooters, but urged everyone to cooperate with police, while adding investigators did not suspect an ideological or extremist link.[31] Prime Minister Petr Fiala cancelled his scheduled events in Olomouc and travelled to Prague shortly after the shooting.[32][33] President Petr Pavel expressed his "sincere condolences" to the family and friends of the victims via social media, while also cutting short a trip to France.[34][35]

The 2023–24 UEFA Women's Champions League football match between Slavia Prague and St. Pölten, set to be played at home in Prague on the day of the shooting, was postponed.[36]

International

Condolences were expressed by European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. United States President Joe Biden and his wife Jill were said to be praying for the families of the victims. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,[37] Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,[38] Israeli President Isaac Herzog,[39][40] Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, Slovak prime minister Robert Fico,[41] German Chancellor Olaf Scholz,[42] Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán,[43] and French President Emmanuel Macron[44] also gave their condolences.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Includes fourteen at the university, the perpetrator, and the perpetrator's father at their family home.

References

  1. ^ "Samonabíjecí pušky mají vrazi rádi. Čím střílel útočník z pražské fakulty". iDnes.cz. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ^ Ehl, Martin (21 December 2023). "Inspirací útočníka mohly být střelby v Rusku. Objevil se i účet na Telegramu" (in Czech). Hospodářské noviny. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Predstavím sa, som David. Vždy som chcel zabíjať... Zanechal masový vrah z Prahy svoj manifest?". Pravda.sk (in Slovak). 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b {{Cite web |last= |first= |date=22 December 2023 |title= Policie zná totožnost už 13 obětí střelby, mezi zraněnými jsou tři cizinci|url=https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/policie-strelba-praha-ztotozneni.A231222_072833_domaci_bur |access-date=2023-12-22 |website=idnes.cz |language=cs
  5. ^ "Prague shooting: Several dead and dozens injured in university shooting". BBC News. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  6. ^ Laca, Peter (21 December 2023). "Several Dead, Wounded in Prague University Shooting, Police Say". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Nohl, Radek; Svihel, Petr. "Po střelbě na Filozofické fakultě je deset mrtvých, další jsou vážně zranění". Seznamzpravy (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Kottasová, Ivana; Gretener, Jessie; Mastrini, John (21 December 2023). "Gunman kills 14 people and wounds 25 others at Prague university". CNN. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Czech police say people have been killed in a shooting in downtown Prague". Houston Chronicle. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  11. ^ "What we know about the mass shooting in Prague". BBC News. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  12. ^ De Vynck, Gerrit; Brady, Kate (21 December 2023). "At least 15 dead in shootings at university in Prague". The Washington Post. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Prague shooter connected with two murders last week". BBC News. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ Gavriněv, Vojtěch (21 December 2023). "Co víme týden od vraždy v Klánovicích. Zločinec musí být absolutně bezcitný". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  15. ^ https://www.idnes.cz/zpravy/domaci/klanovicky-vrah-stale-na-svobode-nebyl-dopaden-policie-bezpecnost.A231220_152306_domaci_remy
  16. ^ https://zbrojnice.com/2023/12/20/klanovicky-vrah-beha-na-svobode-zachovejte-ostrazitost/
  17. ^ https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/krimi-pripad-z-fakulty-mohl-souviset-s-klanovicemi-40455127
  18. ^ a b c d https://www.novinky.cz/clanek/krimi-minutu-po-minute-jak-policie-zasahovala-proti-strelci-v-praze-40455108
  19. ^ Holoubek, Jan (21 December 2023). "Masový vrah Kozák měl doma připravenou bombu". PrahaIN.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  20. ^ Tykalová, Tereza (21 December 2023). "Zasahují v Hostouni i na ruzyňském letišti. Policie má kvůli střelci manévry". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Czech News Agency. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  21. ^ Ehl, Martin (21 December 2023). "Inspirací útočníka mohly být střelby v Rusku. Objevil se i účet na Telegramu". Hospodářské Noviny (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference TheGuardianInfo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ "Police: At least 15 people are dead afte mass shooting in Prague". NY1. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Televizní noviny 21. 12. 2023". TV Nova (in Czech). 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  25. ^ Kottasova, Ivana (21 December 2023). "Police revise number of people killed in Prague shooting to 14". CNN. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  26. ^ Cite error: The named reference Novinky was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  27. ^ "Prague shooting: Gunman at Prague university who killed 15 was student – police". BBC News. 19 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  28. ^ Elsnic, Miroslav (21 December 2023). "Co se ví o útočníkovi na fakultě v Praze? Zřejmě to byl student, měl více zbraní". Deník (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  29. ^ ""Takový nevýrazný člověk." Kdo je střelec z filozofické fakulty". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  30. ^ Crisp, James (21 December 2023). "Prague gunman David K. shared mass shooting fantasies online". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  31. ^ Janicek, Karel (21 December 2023). "At least 15 people are dead after a mass shooting at a Prague university, police chief says". AP News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  32. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYTimesInfo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  33. ^ "10 people are killed in a mass shooting in downtown Prague". NPR. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  34. ^ Pavel, Petr [@prezidentpavel] (21 December 2023). "Jsem šokován událostmi na Filozofické fakultě Univerzity Karlovy. Chtěl bych vyjádřit hlubokou lítost a upřímnou soustrast rodinám a příbuzným obětí, které si střelba vyžádala. Chci poděkovat občanům, že respektují pokyny bezpečnostních složek a poskytují maximální součinnost" (Tweet) (in Czech). Retrieved 21 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  35. ^ "President Pavel cuts France trip short over mass shooting in Prague". Radio Prague International. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  36. ^ "Slavia Prague game with St Polten in UEFA Women's Champions League called off after shooting in Czech capital". Eurosport. 21 December 2023.
  37. ^ Barber, Harriet; Styllis, George; Crisp, James (21 December 2023). "Prague shooting: Prague university shooter killed father before gunning down 15". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  38. ^ Trudeau, Justin [@JustinTrudeau] (21 December 2023). "I'm deeply shocked by the tragic news coming out of Prague. Our thoughts are with the families of the innocent victims lost to this act of violence, and we're hoping for a swift recovery for those injured. To our Czech friends: Canada mourns with you" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  39. ^ Greyman-Kennard, Danielle (21 December 2023). "14 dead, 24 injured in Czech capital university shooting". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  40. ^ "Pres. Herzog sends condolences for mass-shooting in Prague". Israel National News. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  41. ^ "K streľbe v Prahe sa vyjadrila prezidentka Čaputová i premiér Fico: Stojíme v tejto ťažkej chvíli pri vás". Emefka. 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  42. ^ Scholz, Olaf [@Bundeskanzler] (21 December 2023). "I am deeply shocked by the terrible news from Prague. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims and our condolences go out to our Czech friends. I wish the injured a speedy recovery" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  43. ^ Orbán, Viktor [@PM_ViktorOrban] (21 December 2023). "I was deeply shocked by the heinous shooting that took place at Charles University in #Prague today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims!" (Tweet). Retrieved 21 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  44. ^ "Prague : ce que l'on sait de la fusillade qui a fait 14 morts dans une université de la capitale tchèque". Franceinfo (in French). 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
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