Prague Mayor Laments Mass Shootings "Cannot Be Solved Preventively" After Sniper Kills At Least 15

byPlanet Today -
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Update(1423ET): Typically after a school shooting or any mass killing incident in the United States, the smoke is not so much as cleared before there are shrill calls from activists and politicians for banning all firearms, or especially assault-style rifles. Within hours, American mainstream media turns such tragedies into an abstract debate over the ability of citizens to keep and bear arms (to quote the second amendment). But Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda had a very different, and more realistic or reasoned response to Thursday's Prague University shooting, which took the lives of 15, including the killer.

"The thing is, of course, a tragedy, it is a tragedy that occurs in the modern world. We know very well that for a number of years we have been hearing from the United States that there has been an excess of some shooter shooting in a school or on the street or somewhere," Svoboda said in a press briefing.

"We have always thought that this is a matter that does not concern Europe and us, that this is a matter that is also a given in the United States due to the fact that everyone there is armed, etc."

"Now, unfortunately, it turns out that our world is also changing and we have the problem of the individual shooter whose reasons for what he does are not entirely clear. And the worst thing about it is that these are things that cannot be solved preventively,” he emphasized.

This logic is even more applicable in the US, where there are literally tens of millions of firearms kept legally in households across the land. However, we don't expect to hear such down-to-earth discourse in the American mainstream. And interestingly the Prague mayor made such observations within a mere hours of one of the Czech Republic's worst shootings in its history. According to The New York Times:

The police partially identified the assailant as David K. Speaking at a news conference in Prague, the chief of the national police force, Martin Vondraska, said the assailant “got inspired by a similar terrible event abroad.” He did not specify where.

The shooter, now deceased. Image via Mash

According to a summary by The Telegraph:

  • More than 15 people were killed and 24 injured in the shooting at Charles University in central Prague, police say
  • The gunman was a student at the university's faculty of arts. He began shooting on the fourth floor and his body was later found by police
  • Up to 200 students were moved to safety across the road from the faculty, and footage gathered by a passer-by showed a crowd fleeing through the streets of central Prague
  • Police said the gunman was a 24-year-old from a village 21km (13m) outside Prague, and the suspect's father was found dead earlier today
  • Police say it's thought the shooter was inspired by similar massacres that have taken place abroad
  • It's the worst fatal shooting since Czech independence 30 years ago
  • Czech President Petr Pavel said he was "shocked by the events" and expressed his "sincere condolences"

* * *

Update(1245ET): The tragedy is already being called one of the Czech Republic's worst mass shootings in its history, as the police have revised to death toll to at least 15 killed, including the shooter - who committed suicide - and his own father.

"Where tourists, students and others would normally be enjoying the view of the iconic monument instead reflected chaos and terror on Thursday afternoon," the Associated Press described of the chaotic scene. According to the latest from Axios:

  • The shooter, who was a student at the university, has been "eliminated," per police. His father was found dead earlier on Thursday, the BBC reported.
  • "I would like to express my deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims that the shooting claimed," Petr Pavel, the president of the Czech Republic, said on X.

According to new statements from Interior Minister Vit Rakusan, "There is no indication that this crime has any link to international terrorism" - in reference to the 24-old shooter. Rakusan added: 

"I want to assure the public that there is no immediate danger now," he said after the gunfire at the university’s Philosophical Faculty ended.

* * *

Update(1105ET): Emerging news wire statements citing Prague emergency response services cite a much larger than expected death toll. Initially, vague police reports said several were dead and wounded, but there may have been at least 11 killed, including the gunman, and nine more seriously wounded. This means twenty or more people were struck by bullets, from a shooter who appeared to have taken up position sniper-style on a high rooftop:

  • SHOOTING IN PRAGUE LEFT 11 PEOPLE DEAD,CTK CITES RESCUE SERVICE
  • SHOOTING IN PRAGUE LEFT NINE PEOPLE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, CTK SAYS

Police say the shooter has been killed, but likely there are still bystanders holed up in buildings:

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. One X user posted a photo of a group of students, hiding crouched on a ledge of the building.

The below unconfirmed image appears to show the shooter with a high-powered rifle with optics taking out people in the university square below...

* * *

Czech police reported a mass shooting at Charles University near Jan Palach Square in Prague on Thursday has left several dead and dozens wounded. The shooter has been “eliminated” according to police.

Video and photo posted online shows panicked students fleeing for their lives:

Sporadic gunfire can be heard in this video, uncertain if by police or the shooter.

Translated reports by Czech police:

“We are currently responding to a reported shooting at a school in Náměstí Jan Palach. At the moment, all components of the IZS are going to the place. We will provide more information as soon as possible. #policiepha”…”At the moment, there is a police intervention on the spot, the entire Náměstí Jan Palach and the surrounding area is completely closed.”…”Based on initial information, we can confirm that there are dead and injured people at the scene.”…We urge citizens not to stay in the immediate vicinity and not to leave the house. The police intervention is still ongoing.”

“The shooter has been eliminated !!! The entire building is currently being evacuated and there are several dead and dozens of injured.”

An alleged photo of the shooter:

Students were seen on a ledge trying to escape the shooting:

Others barricaded themselves in classrooms:

(Article by Kristinn Taylor republished from TheGatewayPundit)
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