World

Dramatic bodycam footage released by police of Prague gunman search – as victims named

Police have released bodycam footage of officers storming a university building during their response to a shooting in Prague which killed 13 people.

The footage shows armed officers entering a building and members of the public fleeing the scene at Charles University in Prague on Thursday.

The gunman – named in Czech media as 24-year-old David Kozak – opened fire in the philosophy department, where he was a student.

He also died on Thursday.

Charles University named one of the victims as Lenka Hlavkova, director of the Institute of Music Science FF UK.

Three foreign nationals – two from Saudi Arabia and one from the Netherlands – were among 25 people wounded, authorities have said.

At a press conference today, police told reporters the gunman was believed to be on the upper floors of the building when armed officers arrived. They later redirected their search to the roof.

A perimeter was put in place around the university building, officers added at the press conference.

Police also confirmed the gunman took his own life.

Officers found his body while searching the building.

Prague shooting
Image:
Prague shooting

Prague shooting
Image:
Prague shooting

Links to other murders

Martin Vondrasek, Prague’s police chief, said the force believed the suspect killed his father earlier on Thursday in his hometown of Hostoun and had been planning to kill himself, too.

Based on a search of his home, he is also thought to be a suspect in the killing of another man and his two-month-old daughter last Friday.

It is the worst mass shooting the country has suffered.

Saturday will be a national day of mourning to honour the victims, Prime Minister Petr Fiala has said.

President Petr Pavel said there was “helpless anger at the unnecessary loss of so many young lives”.

“I would like to express my sincere condolences to all relatives of the victims, to all who were at this tragic incident,” he added.

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