PRAGUE – The Czech Republic got here to a standstill at midday Saturday as other folks throughout the nation noticed a minute of silence as section of a national day of mourning to honor the victims of the worst mass killing in Czech historical past.
National flags on public constructions had been at half-staff and bells tolled at midday. A Mass at St. Vitus cathedral in Prague, the greatest in the nation, used to be celebrated for the victims. President Petr Pavel and audio system of each homes of Parliament attended the carrier that used to be open to everybody.
“We’re all still in a shock in our own ways,” Prague archbishop Jan Graubner mentioned. “We need to clearly condemn what happened but we also need to look into the future.”
“Nobody should be left alone in these tough moments,” Charles University rector Milena Kralickova mentioned in her remarks towards the finish of the Mass. The capturing inside of the college’s Faculty of Arts on Thursday killed 14 other folks.
Similar spiritual products and services had been held in different towns and cities, whilst Christmas markets in a quantity of puts had been closed or decreased their systems amid boosted security features.
The capturing in the college at the middle of the Czech capital additionally wounded 25 other folks prior to the gunman killed himself. Police and prosecutors mentioned they’ve proof the 24-year-old shooter additionally killed his father previous in the day and a guy and a child in Prague final week.
A sea of candles used to be shining at an impromptu memorial for the victims created in entrance of the college headquarters.
“It’s been a horrible experience for us all but it still can’t be compared with what the victims had to experience at the time of the attack and what their dear ones have to experience now,” mentioned Milos Vystrcil, speaker of Parliament’s higher area, the Senate, one of those that got here to gentle a candle.
“I think that to help them at this point we express our support and that’s what we’re all doing now.”
The names of the 14 individuals who died are slowly being launched. The college showed two crew participants had been amongst them, together with the head of the Institute of Music Sciences, Lenka Hlávková. First-year pupil Lucie Spindlerova used to be any other, mentioned the Lidove noviny day-to-day, the place she additionally labored.
The shooter used to be Czech and a pupil at the Faculty of Arts. Investigators don’t suspect a link to any extremist ideology or teams. Officials mentioned they believed he acted by myself. His cause isn’t but transparent.
Previously, the country’s worst mass capturing used to be in 2015, when a gunman opened fire in the southeastern the town of Uhersky Brod, killing 8 prior to fatally capturing himself.