A BRIT dad has told of the horrors his family saw when a gunman opened fire at a university in Prague and killed 15 people.
The brave father fled the terrifying scene with his daughter and wife as they saw the tragic events unfold around them including seeing “a guy lying dead,” on the floor.
TwitterCrowds were seen fleeing Charles University with their hands in the air as the shooter killed 15 and injured at least 24 others[/caption]
The shooter has been named as 24-year-old university student David Kozak
Kozak pictured on the roof of the university building holding a sniper rifleTwitter
The family was in the popular Jan Palach Square at the time of the shooting when his daughter, 25, spotted the gunman – David Kozak – lurking on the roof of the Charles University Faculty of Arts building.
Despite still being visibly shaken up and shocked he spoke to The Sun, saying: “My daughter said, ‘Dad, look up there, there’s a guy on the roof’.
“And all of a sudden it just went mental, it sounded like a load of firecrackers.
“I would have said about 30 people got shot. There was a guy lying dead on the right hand side of the square. He was shot in the chest.
“There must have been at least 30/35 people who were very badly hurt.”
With emotions running high the man took his Czech wife and daughter to safety by running to their AirBnB four minutes away from the square.
The trio are now desperately looking for flights back to Gatwick to escape the hellish situation and the completely shut down area in Prague as investigations continue.
They were already due to fly back today and were only in the square to “kill some time” before they left for the airport.
Czech police say thekiller shot his own father earlier today before the 24-year-old student launched a horror shooting spree from the rooftop of a university building using a sniper rifle.
Panicked crowds were seen fleeing for their lives with their hands in the air during the shooting that took place shortly after 3pm (2pm GMT).
At least 15 were killed as another 24 were injured – 11 of which were seriously wounded – making it the worst mass shooting in the history of the Czech Republic.
Police also stated that the shooter’s dead body was found in the university’s philosophy building after he took his own life.
The sick killer is thought to have lived in a village 13miles outside Prague and attended the university.
Despite the tragedy seeming like a suprise massacre of innocent lives the father of one did feel a “very odd vibe in the town”.
He said: “I went out last night for some drinks with some friends. I love Prague and have been coming here for years because of my wife, but yesterday there was a very odd vibe in the town.
“There were lots and lots of police walking around with guns, as if they knew something was going to happen.
Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said he took his sniper rifle to Prague after being “inspired by a horrific event, a similar event, abroad”.
Reports in local media said Kozak kept a diary on Telegram where he allegedly wrote: “‘I want to do a school shooting and possibly suicide.’”
Kozak is believed to have been potentially inspired by a school shooting in Russia earlier this month carried out by 14-year-old schoolgirl Alina Afanaskina.
Footage from the attack showed terrified staff and students barricaded themselves inside their classrooms with piles of chairs and tables as 200 others were rushed to safety.
The square, located about 500m from the historic Charles Bridge in downtown Prague, has been sealed off and cops have urged people to stay inside.
They are still searching the area, including the building’s balconies, for possible explosives.
Vit Rakusan, the Czech minister of the interior, said the mass shooting isn’t believed to be linked to international terrorism.
Charles University told staff to “stay put” and lock the doors.
“Don’t go anywhere, if you’re in the offices, lock them and place furniture in front of the door, turn off the lights,” an email to staff at the Philosophy Faculty said.
One student described “police officers with guns everywhere”.
They told CNN Prima News: “They kicked us out of the school yelling, ‘Hands up!’”
Another eyewitness said: “Some students were hiding on the walkway and someone fell from the roof.”
A witness inside the university building said the gunman was seen walking along the ledge of the roof.
Another student posted a photo of his classroom door barricaded with tables and chairs.
He said: “Currently stuck inside my classroom in Prague. Shooter is dead, but we are waiting to be evacuated.
“Praying to make it out alive. Locked the door before the shooter tried to open it.”
The Czech police are also investigating a supposed bomb threat in the Municipal Library in Prague, according to multiple sources.
The main building has been evacuated and the nearby Valentinská Street has been closed.
TwitterPanicked crowds were seen running over the famous Charles Bridge after shots were fired[/caption]
Overall 15 people have died so far, including the shooter who turned the gun on himself
A student posted a photo of his classroom door barricaded with chairs and tables
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