Just before Christmas, the Czech Republic experienced the worst mass shooting in its history.

A 24-old student of Charles University entered the philosophy faculty and killed 14 students in its corridors and classrooms. over 20 were wounded and half of them are hospitalised in a critical condition.

The intervention of police officers in the building helped stop the shooting, and the suspect took his own life as he found him self surrounded, authorities said.

No connections with terrorist movements have been found so far. President Petr Pavel has appealed for unity and said the killings should not be used to launch political attacks or spread misinformation.

Statement of Charles University on the shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University can be read here: https://t.co/1d73YpOKS1 pic.twitter.com/QNsm38JpNo

— Charles University (@CharlesUniPRG) December 21, 2023

A Christian leader who is part of an evangelical church in Prague that gathers many students, spoke to Evangelical Focus hours after the shooting.

“As elders of our church, we read John 1:5 yesterday: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it’. Suddenly the city, however, seemed covered in darkness”, he explains.

“With only the red and blue lights of the emergency services flashing through. It will be a different Christmas. I pray that the Light will shine once more in our darkness”.

“May many people meet the God who is with us during this Christmas”

Another evangelical Christian in the Czech Republic, Tomas Coufal, told this news website that he felt much sorrow for the families who have lost loved ones. “I can’t imagine the depth of their pain; I can’t imagine what I would feel and do if my child were among the victims of the shooting. And the tragedy is underscored by the Christmas time when families stick together and celebrate the holiday (even in atheist Czechia)”.

Solidarity was another reaction. Shortly after the shootings, “public collections started, and people send money to support the bereaved families”.

Coufal asks to pray that the shooting is not “echoed” with more violence in the days to come. “Let’s pray that God turns the hearts of the people in our country to seek the real safety and peace that can be found only in Him. Let’s pray for the Church to be the Church: to offer consolation and the Good News in a sensitive way – even in the time of grief and sorrow. May many people meet the God who is with us, Immanuel, during this Christmas”.