Prague Attack: Gunman Who Shot Dead 14 People at Faculty of Arts Killed Himself

The gunman who shot dead 14 people at a Prague university on December 21 killed himself after being surrounded by the authorities, Czech police said.

The attack, which happened at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University, is the worst mass shooting in Czech history.

According to authorities, evidence suggests the shooter also killed a man and his young daughter in a forest near Prague last week.

However, this is still unconfirmed.

Officials told a news conference on December 22 that students barricaded themselves into rooms of the university building during the attack and that police had to go floor-by-floor to get them out.

They showed bodycam footage of officers as they hunted for the attacker, who died on the roof of the building.

Police said people had been asked to come out with their hands up because police were unsure if the attacker had accomplices.

Prague’s police director, Petr Matejcek, added that there were “piles of ammunition in the corridors” and said he believed the quick arrival of police prevented more bloodshed.

All of those killed in December 21 attack have now been identified, but only one person so far has been named officially. Lenka Hlavkova was head of the Institute of Musicology at Charles University.

A further 25 people were injured in the attack – including one Dutch citizen and two people from the United Arab Emirates.

The killer, named locally as 24-year-old David Kozak, is also thought to have killed his father at a separate location.

Before the shooting, police had received a report that the suspect was believed to be heading to Prague from a nearby town with the intention of killing himself.

The authorities say they are now on alert for people who may be inspired by the attack and are focused on imminent threats – including on social media.

They are also waiting for ballistic evidence to confirm that the gunman was linked to the December 15 murders of a man and his two-month-old daughter in the Klanovicky forest.

The head of Prague Police’s murder department said that the university shooter had been a suspect in the earlier killings and that police had done their best to catch the person responsible.

In a statement, Czech PM Petr Fiala said the country had been 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.”

He said December 23 would be a day of mourning, adding that flags would be flown at half-mast on all public buildings and that a minute’s silence would be observed at midday. Many sports and cultural events have been called off.