Brno City Police escorted a young man with a legally owned gun from the Faculty of Education of Masaryk University on Saturday, during an open day at the faculty, police spokespersons told reporters today. They added that the man owned seven guns of various calibres.
The man was in the faculty’s assembly hall together with around 200 people during the open day, said Jakub Ghanem, spokesman for the Brno City Police.
The faculty management called the police emergency line because the young man seemed distracted and restless to those around him during a speech about the faculty. A police patrol arrived in a few minutes.
Universities in the country are more vigilant since the tragedy in Prague on 21 December, when a student at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University killed 14 people.
The police seized the young man’s weapons, on the grounds of a suspected change in his psychological condition, which will now be evaluated. Doctors will decide whether he can keep his gun licence, which he has had for a long time.
Police spokesman Pavel Svab said the man cooperated with the police, was not aggressive and did not threaten to use the gun.
“The police officers obtained additional facts and a description of the young man from academics and made their way towards the auditorium. They quickly found the man and, without him offering any resistance, escorted him out into the street,” said Brno City Police director Luboš Oprchal.
When asked by the officers, the young man immediately admitted that he was carrying a legally owned short firearm, concealed under his clothing as required by law. He added that he normally carried it for his personal protection. A breath test showed no evidence of alcohol consumption.
The response of the faculty administration was swift, according to the police. “Caution is in order in situations like this, even if the presence of danger is not subsequently confirmed,” Oprchal stressed.
