A gunman killed 15 people and wounded dozens of others at a Prague university on Thursday, before the police “eliminated” him, authorities said.

The violence in the Czech capital’s historic center sparked panic, a massive police response and warnings for people to stay indoors.

The bloodshed took place in the philosophy department building of Charles University, where the shooter was a student, Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said. He has not been named publicly.

“More than 15 people have lost their lives and at least 24 have been wounded,” Vondrasek told reporters following the shooting.

“The building is currently being evacuated and there are several dead and dozens of wounded people on the scene,” police wrote earlier on X.

Police said they were still searching the area, including the balcony, for possible explosives. The building was evacuated, Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda said.

The shooting was not linked to international terrorism, the Czech government said Thursday.

“There is no indication that this crime has any link to international terrorism,” Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan told reporters.

Emergency services preliminarily reported around 30 others were wounded in the attack, with injuries ranging from light to serious. Prague’s emergency service said on X that “a large number of ambulance units” were deployed at the department.

The private Nova TV reported a blast and a gunman on the roof of the building in Prague’s historic center.

Rakusan said “no other gunman has been confirmed,” and called on people to follow police instructions. Police closed the area and asked people living nearby to stay at home.

Pavel Nedoma, the director of Rudolfinum Gallery, which also is located in the square, told Czech public television he saw from a window a person who was shooting from a gun toward the nearby Manes bridge across the Vltava River.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala canceled his scheduled events and was heading for Prague.

Czech President Petr Pavel said he was “shocked” by the shooting.

“I am shocked by the events… I would like to express my deep regret and sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the victims claimed by the shooting,” Pavel, who is winding up a two-day visit to Paris on Thursday, wrote on X.