Gunman kills 6 in attack on hospital in Prague
PRAGUE — Six people were killed and three more wounded in a shooting in a hospital in the eastern Czech Republic on Tuesday, the prime minister and officials said. The apparent gunman later shot himself dead as police approached his car.
Prime Minister Andrej Babis told Czech public television that the shooting took place around 7 a.m. in a waiting room. The attacker opened fire at people’s heads from close range, Babis said.
He said he was heading for the site, at the University hospital in Ostrava, 220 miles east of Prague.
Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said police found the gunman’s car and that he shot himself in the head as they approached and died of his injuries about half an hour later. Hamacek said police will be investigating the gunman’s motive. “I’d like to assure the public that there’s no danger anymore,” Hamacek said.
Police identified the assailant as a 42-year-old man. Several hundred police officers had launched an extensive manhunt, using two helicopters, for the gunman and his silver-gray Renault Laguna car.
Regional police chief Officer Tomas Kuzel said the attacker used an illegally held Czech-made 9 mm gun. He said police believe the man acted alone.
Police published a photo of the gunman, having withdrawn an earlier photo of a different man. They said that man was now considered a witness.
Clinic director Jiri Havrlant told media that the dead were four men and two women. Another man and a woman had to be operated on, while one person was more lightly wounded.