Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Tragedy Strikes Prague: 14 Lives Lost in Christmas Mass Shooting

Christmas has taken a devastating turn for families in Prague this year as the city mourns the loss of 14 innocent lives in a horrifying mass shooting at a local university. The incident, which unfolded on Thursday, has left the entire nation in shock and deep sorrow.

The Lone Gunman: David Kozak

The perpetrator behind this heinous act has been identified as 24-year-old David Kozak. Shockingly, Kozak was a student at Charles University, where the tragic incident took place. Armed with heavy weaponry, he unleashed a hail of bullets, claiming the lives of 14 individuals and injuring 24 others, including three foreigners.

After carrying out the brutal attack, Kozak turned the gun on himself, ending his own life. However, the investigation has revealed even more chilling details surrounding this horrific event.

A Trail of Destruction

Police have disclosed that Kozak is suspected of killing his father prior to the massacre, in a village located to the west of Prague, where their family resided. Following this shocking act, he made his way to the capital city.

Authorities have also revealed that the gunman is believed to have randomly targeted and killed a young man and his two-month-old daughter in a Prague forest on December 15. “A ballistic analysis has confirmed that the firearm used in the forest incident was identical to the one found at the university gunman’s home,” stated a police spokesperson on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Despite a manhunt being launched, law enforcement officers appeared to have missed their target at the university. While they searched the Faculty of Arts building, where Kozak was expected to attend a lecture, he entered the nearby main building undetected.

Dramatic footage captured armed officers storming the building, causing panic among the public who fled for safety. Initially, authorities believed the gunman was located on the upper floors, but later redirected the search to the roof.

As the search progressed, Kozak fired upon and injured three individuals outside the building, utilizing a long-ranged weapon. The police swiftly retaliated, and as they closed in on him, the gunman took his own life.

Kozak’s lifeless body was discovered during the building search, alongside piles of ammunition that were found at the scene. Prague’s Chief of Police, Martin Vondrasek, revealed that the shooter had been on the police radar prior to this tragedy and possessed “an enormous arsenal of weapons and ammunition.”

Furthermore, investigators have uncovered evidence suggesting that the gunman drew inspiration from a similar mass shooting incident in Russia, as indicated by his social media account.

Support for the Victims

In the aftermath of Thursday’s devastating shooting, authorities have taken swift action, arresting four individuals who either made threats of carrying out similar attacks or expressed support for the killings. The Czech Republic’s Interior Minister, Vit Rakusan, confirmed these arrests in a statement.

Saturday has been declared a national day of mourning throughout the Czech Republic. As flags fly at half-mast, church bells solemnly toll, and masses are held across the country, the nation stands united in remembering the victims of this senseless act of violence that unfolded at Prague’s Charles University.

A Nation in Mourning

President Petr Pavel, along with other senior politicians, attended the memorial services held across the country. The cathedral was filled with grief-stricken individuals, many shedding tears as they paid their respects.

Expressing his deep condolences, President Pavel voiced the nation’s “helpless anger at the unnecessary loss of so many young lives.” He extended his sympathies to the families of the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident.

During the mass, students from the Faculty of Arts offered eighteen roses at the altar. Fourteen of these roses symbolized the university victims, one represented the gunman, and three were dedicated to the other individuals Kozak had taken the lives of.

“Each person’s life, with its unique essence, enriches and becomes a part of the lives of others. The loss of any life is irreplaceable,” said Milena Kralickova, the rector of Charles University, emotionally addressing the congregation at the mass.

The choir leading the solemn songs during the service was guided by David Eben, a renowned musician and musicology teacher at the Faculty of Arts. Tragically, the department lost its director, Lenka Hlavkova, a loving mother of two, in the attack.

Solidarity and condolences have poured in from around the world, with Pope Francis, US President Joe Biden, Penny Wong, Britain’s King Charles, and numerous others expressing their heartfelt sympathies.

A Tragic Anomaly

The Czech Republic, known for its safety and tranquility, ranks as the world’s 12th-safest country according to the 2023 Global Peace Index. Incidents of mass gun violence are exceedingly rare in this peaceful nation.

This week’s shooting in the heart of Prague’s UNESCO-listed historic center marks the deadliest attack since the Czech Republic gained independence in 1993, leaving the nation in mourning and searching for answers.

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