Church bells rang, flags flew at half mast and lots more and plenty had been held throughout the Czech Republic on Saturday, a day of nationwide mourning for the victims of a lethal taking pictures at Prague’s Charles College.
A closely armed 24-year-old pupil killed 14 folks after which himself on the College of Arts on Thursday.
The lone gunman additionally wounded 24 others, together with three foreigners.
The gunfire sparked frantic scenes of scholars working from the attacker, with some escaping onto the roof after which leaping onto a balcony beneath, whereas others clung to top-floor home windows from ledges.
Every day life halted for a minute of silence for the victims within the EU and NATO member nation at midday (1100 GMT) on Saturday.
“We’re all making an attempt to construct heaven on earth, however the actuality of life exhibits us that evil exists,” mentioned Prague Archbishop Jan Graubner, celebrating a mass for the victims on the Gothic St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Fort.
College students attending the mass mentioned prime politicians had been current, together with President Petr Pavel, and that many within the cathedral had been in tears.
“The life of every particular person in its uniqueness enriches and turns into part of the lives of others, and its loss is subsequently irreplaceable,” Charles College rector Milena Kralickova mentioned on the mass, her voice breaking.
A choir singing on the mass was led by David Eben, a musician and musicology trainer on the College of Arts.
His division misplaced its director, Lenka Hlavkova, a mom of two, within the carnage.
– Two-month-old sufferer –
For the reason that taking pictures, folks have lit hundreds of candles for the victims at makeshift memorials arrange in Prague and different cities.
In the course of the mass on Saturday, College of Arts college students introduced eighteen roses to the altar — 14 for the college victims, one for the gunman and three for different folks he had killed.
Police mentioned that the gunman appeared to have killed a randomly chosen younger mand and his two-month-old daughter in a Prague forest on December 15.
“A ballistic evaluation proved the gun used within the… forest was IDENTICAL with a gun discovered on the college gunman’s dwelling,” police mentioned on X.
On Thursday, he killed his father in a village west of Prague the place the household lived, after which left for the capital, leaving a suicide observe, police mentioned.
Police launched a manhunt for him, however appeared to have missed him on the college, looking a College of Arts constructing the place he was anticipated to attend a lecture, whereas the gunman walked into the college’s predominant constructing close by.
Police realized concerning the taking pictures on the college at round 1400 GMT and despatched a speedy response unit to the scene. Twenty minutes later, the gunman was useless.
The gunman appeared to have been impressed by the same taking pictures in Russia, police mentioned, citing his social media account.
– twelfth most secure nation –
This week’s taking pictures in Prague’s UNESCO-listed historic centre was the deadliest because the Czech Republic emerged as an unbiased state in 1993.
Sympathy poured in from the world over with Pope Francis, US President Joe Biden, Britain’s King Charles and lots of others sending their condolences.
At a makeshift memorial in Prague, technical college pupil Antonin Volavka lit a candle to pay tribute to the useless.
“This might have occurred to anybody. Actually, it might have been me,” he advised AFP.
The Czech Republic is the world’s twelfth most secure nation, in accordance with the 2023 International Peace Index, and mass gun violence is uncommon.
However in 2015, a person shot useless seven males and a lady earlier than killing himself in a restaurant within the southeast, whereas one other gunman killed seven folks in an japanese hospital after which himself in 2019.
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Initially printed as Czechs mourn Prague college taking pictures victims
