Czech seriously injured in Bratislava killing-spree

The Slovak capital Bratislava on Monday experienced one of the worst cases of violence in years when a lone gunman went on a rampage killing 8 people and injuring 15 others before turning the weapon on himself. One of the injured is a 30-year-old Czech national who is reported to be in serious condition.

The gunman who killed 8 people in Bratislava, photo: CTK

The killing-spree started shortly after 10 am in a prefab housing estate in Děvinska Nova Ves, the north-western district of the city. A 48-year-old gunman, a former soldier, burst into the home of a Romany family with whom he’d allegedly had previous disputes and shot dead everyone who was in the flat –killing four women and one man and later shooting another member of the family out in the corridor. He then exited the building and fired random shots into windows killing a 52-year-old woman who came out onto her balcony and firing at complete strangers out in the street. Seven people were killed and fifteen injured, among them a three-year-old boy, before police surrounded the aggressor who turned the gun on himself.

Police investigating one of the worst ever cases of violence in the country’s history have refused to speculate about a racial motive. They confirmed that the assault rifle and two handguns the former soldier used were legally-held weapons. Bratislava is rife with speculation about what triggered the carnage. Some witnesses say the man had openly proclaimed his prejudices saying he hated blacks, others claim that the gunman and the family he murdered in cold blood had been involved in numerous disputes in the past few months with the police called in to deal with trouble late at night. Some of the neighbours told Slovak television the family were notorious troublemakers known for their criminal activities –and there is speculation that drugs may have been involved.

Photo: CTK

Late on Monday, one of the injured died in hospital, bringing the death toll to 8. Thirteen others remain hospitalized, three in serious condition. The Czech national, who was reported to have undergone emergency surgery during the night, is said to be in serious, but stable condition, in a state of induced sleep. The police have not revealed his identity, though it has emerged that he is around 30 and comes from the eastern part of the Czech Republic.