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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
John Dunne

Prague university gunman 'confessed to killing baby' in suicide note

The gunman who killed 14 people at a university in Prague confessed to an earlier double murder in a suicide note found at his house, Czech police have said.

The note, found by officers in David Kozak's home shortly after the university attack, contained an admission that he had also shot dead a man and his baby daughter in woods near the city on December 15, police said.

Six days later on December 21 he launched his deadly killing spree at Charles University before he killed himself when he was surrounded by armed police. Kozak was a masters history student at the university.

Police said the mass murderer, 24, also killed his father, bringing the death toll to 17.

The attack at the university is the worst mass shooting in Czech history.

The suicide note contained a confession he had shot the father and child in Klanovice woods on the eastern outskirts of the capital a week previously.

The victims are reported to be a 32-year-old man and a two-month-old girl, according to Czech media.

Detectives had said it was "highly probable" that the gunman had also carried out the Klanovice killings. This was later confirmed by ballistics.

Police expressed regret they had been unable to track down Kozak earlier, as he had been a suspect in the double killing.

Kozak opened fire at the Faculty of Arts building on Jan Palach Square where he picked off his targets from a rooftop.

University staff and students were ordered to barricade themselves in during the attack.

Thirteen people died at the university, while a fourteenth victim died from their injuries in hospital. A further 25 people were wounded, police said.

Police have not released the potential motive for the killings and say the investigation is ongoing.

Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan has called on the mayors of all towns and villages to cancel New Year's fireworks displays in light of the massacre.

The Charles University was founded in 1347 and is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic, and one of the most historic institutions in Europe.

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