Authorities received tips about a 24-year-old philosophy student at Charles University who they suspect was responsible for the deadly mass shooting at the campus in central Prague Thursday, Czech Police President Martin Vondrášek said in a news conference.
The police chief said the information he has received so far indicates that the shooter took his own life after the attack, but that this is not yet confirmed. He said the suspect has not been formally identified because of the severity of his injuries.
Police evacuated building where suspect had lecture scheduled: The police chief said authorities had information about the student prior to the incident, saying they received a tip saying he was traveling from his hometown of Hostouň to Prague with the intention to take his own life. Shortly after that, they received information that a man believed to be the suspect’s father was found dead in Hostouň.
Vondrášek said police were aware the suspected shooter had a lecture at 2 p.m. CET (8 a.m. ET) and had evacuated the building where the lecture was meant to take place.
Police then received a call about a shooting in a different building on campus, according to the police chief.