Prague shooting: Student kills 15, injures 24 at historic Charles University

A gunman at Prague's Charles University's Faculty of Arts building in Jan Palach Square shot and killed at least 15 people and injured 24 others in what is being dubbed as the Czech Republic's deadliest mass shooting to date.

The shooter, a student at the university, was subsequently "eliminated" by the police. Earlier on the same day, the shooter's father was found dead.

Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda expressed the unsettling reality, stating, "Now it turns out that, unfortunately, our world is also changing, and the problem of the individual shooter is emerging here as well."

Eyewitness Petr Nedoma, director of the Rudolfinum Gallery, recounted seeing the shooter with an automatic weapon on a gallery, firing towards the Manes Bridge. The assailant eventually surrendered by putting his hands up and discarding the weapon on the street.

Police swiftly sealed off the area, and ambulances lined up to attend to the wounded. A witness described the terrifying moments, recalling, "It was scary, there were a lot of policemen everywhere, who were shouting at us with submachine guns, telling us to run outside."

As news circulated, an email advised staff and students to stay secure within their locations. The tragic event unfolds as Prime Minister Petr Fiala cancels his trip to address the developing crisis. Despite gun crime being relatively rare in the Czech Republic, this incident stands as a grim reminder of the unexpected threats faced by communities worldwide.