At least 15 dead in Prague school shooting: rescuers

Police officers work near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)

PRAGUE, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said.

The shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University in the afternoon has left more than 15 people dead, and at least 24 others injured, Czech Police President Martin Vondrasek told journalists.

At the same press briefing, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said that there is no indication that the shooting was linked to international terrorism.

The Prague Medical Rescue Services said earlier that nine people were seriously injured.

Police officers in the Central Bohemian Region have launched a search for a young man in connection with the violent death of a man in the region on suspicion of a link to today's university shooting, the Czech News Agency reported.

Rakusan called the shooting "A terrible act, unprecedented in the history of the Czech Republic,", expressing his sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the shooting victims on social media.

The Czech government said it will hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday evening over the shooting.

Police officers work near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)

Police officers work near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)

Emergency vehicles are seen near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)

An ambulance is seen near the site of a shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)

Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan (C) speaks at a press briefing about the shooting in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Dec. 21, 2023. At least 15 people were killed in a shooting at a school in the Czech capital Prague on Thursday, local police said. (Photo by DanaKesnerova/Xinhua)