ABOVE: Bratislava, Slovakia Oct. 12. (Photo courtesy of Polícia Slovenskej republiky)
Three people are dead, including the gunman, in a shooting in front of a popular LGBTQ bar in the old town neighborhood of the Slovakian capital of Bratislava on Wednesday evening.
A spokesperson for the Polícia Slovenskej republiky, the country’s national police force, told media outlets that the shooter was found deceased Thursday morning after an hours long search.
The Polícia Slovenskej republiky said the incident at the Tepláreň bar on Zámocká Street in central Bratislava left two young men dead and one woman injured, and investigators are naming the perpetrator, as Juraj K, a radicalized 19-year-old student from Bratislava.
According to Polícia Slovenskej republiky, the gunman was outside of the bar for nearly an hour before opening fire at around 7 p.m. local time. Investigators said multiple rounds were fired but did not disclose the number nor the weapon used. Police say he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot.
Polícia Slovenskej republiky also said that the female victim is in critical but stable condition at local hospital. She and one of two young men killed were both employed at the bar.
Allegations and speculation arose on social media as a Twitter account tied to the shooter was discovered and shared, filled with anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ posts including a so called “manifesto” which the gunman had posted prior to the rampage. That account also had a picture of the gunman outside the Tepláreň in mid-August.
On Facebook Dúhový Pride Bratislava said, “We’re shocked by the information about the shooting and casualties at Tepláreň, where we meet regularly.” The organization changed its Facebook page photo to black. Iniciatíva Inakosť, another Slovakian LGBTQ organization followed suit.
Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger condemned the double murder on Thursday in a press conference telling media outlets that “extremism is unacceptable.”
President Zuzana Čaputová called on politicians to stop spreading hate. “My thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims of yesterday’s horrific attack in Bratislava and everyone in the LGBTIQ+ community affected by it,” Čaputová said in her Twitter post.
“Words can become weapons. Hate kills. As politicians, we must weigh every word we say before it’s too late,” she added.
Čaputová came to the scene of the shooting on Thursday afternoon, laying flowers in front of Tepláreň and embraced the owner of the bar.
Polícia Slovenskej republiky in a statement issued late Thursday said:
“First of all, we would like to thank conscientious citizens who provided us with valuable information on the shooting case in Bratislava at 158. We need to remind everyone again and again: Don’t hesitate to call 158. Just putting something on social media may not help. Thank you!
Police act from the first moment. The physical presence of our uniformed colleagues was undoubtedly noticed in the streets throughout the night.
Not only uniformed policemen worked and are working and not all of them are active in the field. Due to the ongoing investigation, but also the tactics, we can’t comment more closely, so we can’t even defend ourselves when any ‘guaranteed’ news regarding our activities appear at these moments. Hence our silence at this stage, please understand.
Procedures to be followed by a police investigator are firmly established in the Criminal Order. Of course, his top priorities include finding the perpetrator’s motive. In order to publish his motive as a police department, it is necessary to take necessary actions.
We will inform you about everything, we are thinking about active communication, but we all have to be patient and give the investigator time and space.
And whether it is a hateful motive or not, we want to assure the public that the police department maintains zero tolerance for any form of violence, bullying or hatred. We have our values, which we will always stand by, which we have announced long ago.
Thank you for your help and understanding of the legal procedures we follow.”
