The Charles University Foundation has so far paid CZK 10.65 million to the families of the victims of the December shooting at the Faculty of Arts, out of the CZK 30 million planned, it said on its website yesterday.
Some CZK 1.5 million has been distributed to the injured, and the university will distribute more money to them in the coming days based on individual needs. Thursday marked 3 months since the tragic incident in which a student of the college shot dead 14 people.
Of the remaining amount meant for the survivors of the tragic shooting, the university said terms are being specified and contracts are being drawn up. The foundation’s board of trustees has also earmarked CZK 4 million to provide psychosocial support via face-to-face and online group therapy for people affected by the tragedy.
Almost 60,000 people have contributed to support those affected by the shooting, according to the university’s rector, Milena Kralickova.
According to the university, the fund is now concluding contracts and paying out money for the support that was provided in December and January, the cost of which has been estimated at more than CZK 1 million. Psychosocial support continues to be provided, according to the university, and its cost should be quantified gradually.
In February, the Foundation’s board of trustees transferred part of the money raised to a term account and a savings account to prevent the value of the funds from being lost due to inflation. It transferred CZK 25 million to the term account and another CZK 35 million to the savings account. In January, the university reported that it had collected over CZK 72 million.
Eva Leheckova, dean of the Faculty of Arts, said it was important for students and teachers to be able to go back to the Faculty’s headquarters. The building is now fully open except the fourth floor, which was the most damaged in the shooting and the police response. Classes are expected to return there in the winter semester.
