Rescue services: 11 dead including attacker, 9 seriously injured in Prague (WATCH)

By Sunita IyerFirst Published Dec 21, 2023, 8:28 PM IST
Highlights

Czech Police say people have been killed and injured people in a reported shooting near a university in central Prague. Reports suggest the incident occurred at Charles University Faculty of Arts, located on Jan Palach Square.

Czech Police on Thursday reported 11 casualties in a shooting near a university in central Prague. The attacker is among the casualties. The incident is said to have taken place at the Charles University Faculty of Arts on Jan Palach Square. Authorities have closed off the entire square and its surroundings. Police in the Czech Republic's capital urged residents to shelter inside and avoid the area 'due to an ongoing shooting incident' close to Charles University in the centre of the city.

“11 dead including the attacker, 9 seriously injured, 5-6 moderately seriously injured, up to 10 slightly injured. Numbers may still change.” police said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

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

— Policie ČR (@PolicieCZ)

Charles University is located in Prague's Old Town, around 500m from the historic Charles Bridge, a tourist magnet.

A video captures the scene of tourists and locals urgently crossing the renowned Charles Bridge, a major European tourist attraction, in response to the disturbing sound of gunfire in the city. Another footage shows individuals running with raised hands from the University's Faculty of Arts building in the capital, accompanied by armed police officers.

BREAKING: Shooting with multiple fatalities at Charles University's Faculty of Arts in Prague pic.twitter.com/Rs0u9RHsXi

— BNO News (@BNONews)

Zora Hesova, a faculty member at the university, reported that individuals were still confined to classrooms within the building. Meanwhile, the British Embassy in Prague has issued a warning advising people in the city, known as a tourist hotspot, to steer clear of the areas around Charles University and the Faculty of Arts.

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