Fourteen individuals killed at Prague university prompts declaration of national day of mourning in Czech Republic

A gunman killed 14 people and injured 25 at a university in Prague, leading the Czech Republic to declare Saturday a national day of mourning. President Petr Pavel expressed his deep sadness and anger at the unnecessary loss of life. The shooter, who has been eliminated by the police, is also suspected of killing his father and may have been involved in two deaths the previous week. This incident is one of the worst mass shootings in recent European history. The shooting took place at the Faculty of Arts building of Charles University, where the gunman opened fire on students and staff. Disturbing footage on social media showed people jumping to safety from upper story ledges. The gunman was a 24-year-old student with no prior criminal record, but a large stash of weapons and ammunition was found in his possession. The police received a report before the shooting that the suspect intended to kill himself in Prague. Later, his father was discovered dead. Prime Minister Petr Fiala expressed his shock at the incident and announced that Saturday would be a day of mourning, with flags flown at half-mast and a minute of silence observed at midday. Several sports and cultural events have been canceled. The motive for the shooting is still unknown, but the police suspect a connection to a similar incident in Russia. Charles University, founded in 1347, is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. People have paid their respects by lighting candles and leaving flowers at the scene of the shooting.