BREAKING: Shooting at Prague’s Faculty of Arts Leaves Dead and Injured

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Police said the shooter was neutralized shortly before 4 p.m. “The shooter has been eliminated!!! The entire building is currently being evacuated and there are several dead and dozens injured,” police wrote on X.

Police have not yet released a description of the shooter, and it’s unclear what the motive could be.

In a shocking turn of events, a shooting has taken place at the Faculty of Arts building on Palach Square in the heart of Prague. The incident has prompted a swift response from law enforcement, who are currently on-site managing the situation.

Preliminary reports confirm both fatalities and injuries at the scene, as announced by the police on the social network X. Authorities have cordoned off Jan Palach Square and its surrounding areas, redirecting traffic away from the affected zone.

The website tn.cz published a photograph of an armed man on the roof of the building. It also wrote that an explosion was heard from the scene.

According to a source from the Faculty of Arts speaking to Seznam Zprávy, employees were instructed to take immediate safety measures.

This includes staying in place, securing their offices, barricading doors, and turning off lights. The alleged shooter is reported to be within the main building on Jana Palacha Square, and those inside are awaiting further guidance from the police.

“We are barricaded in the office, but we have absolutely no idea what is going on. We had a seminar, and suddenly someone said there was someone with a gun in the building, we barricaded ourselves and are waiting. We heard gunshots. The police know about us, we are supposed to wait here,” recounted a student from inside the building.

Internal warnings from the Faculty of Arts specify that the shooter is located on the 4th floor, which houses critical departments such as law, the dean’s office, the grants department, and musicology.

Vyzýváme občany, aby se v blízkém okolí nezdržovali a nevycházeli z domu. Zásah policie stále pokračuje. pic.twitter.com/OHnSsq4G5f

— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ) December 21, 2023

Tereza Marková, a spokeswoman for the Faculty of Arts, confirmed the incident within their building. “I have information only from the police so far; we are finding out more,” she conveyed to Seznam Zprávy.

As the situation unfolds, the community is left in shock and uncertainty. The Faculty of Arts, a hub for education and culture, is now the center of a tragic event that will undoubtedly have profound implications for the entire city.

Authorities are actively working to ensure the safety of those within the building and to bring the situation under control.

We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. Our thoughts go out to all those affected by this distressing incident.