Young Britons who were in the vicinity of a mass shooting in Prague have detailed their near-miss.
At least 15 people have died, including the gunman, after the incident at a university in Jan Palach Square in the Czech Republic capital on Thursday.
The police said the shooter was a student at the faculty of arts at Charles University.
Speaking on GB News, the trio of youngsters, who were enjoying a gap year trip to the European city, told Patrick Christys about the initial confusion, questioning whether the loud bangs were actually gunshots.
Young Britons were present in the tourist hotspot
GB NEWS / REUTERS
Sam Cranstone, one of the Britons present in the tourist hotspot at the time of the shooting, said things could have panned out differently.
“We have another friend on the trip who isn’t with us right now. He wanted to get a drink on our way down from the castle”, he told GB News.
People were seen running through the streets of PragueX/@LeoMenindez“Us being Brits, we love our cups of tea, but there was no milk.
“He asked them to provide us some milk, which took them five minutes or so, you just think of the butterfly effect.
“If he didn’t ask for his milk, you dread to think what could have happened.”
Sam’s friend Joe Hyland told Christys that had the group been in the vicinity at the time of the shooting, they would have likely been targets.
“The crazy thing is, it was a university shooting, we’re all 18 or 19 and we’re on a gap year”, he said.
“If we were there, we look like university students. They wanted to kill university students.
“We’re lucky to be here.”
The trio, completed by Sam Mellor, took the opportunity to send their condolences to the families of those affected.
“All of our small worries go straight out of the window”, Mellor concluded.
Media images showed students evacuating the building with their hands in the air, and others perched on a ledge near the roof trying to hide from the attacker while students barricaded classrooms with desks and chairs.
The White House condemned the shooting and said the United States was ready to offer assistance. Leaders across Europe including France's Emmanuel Macron offered their support.