We’ve just received reports that the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Rico has been taken to hospital after being shot. This is a developing news story, but here’s everything we know so far:
Slovak PM Robert Fico was shot and taken to hospital after a cabinet meeting. The alleged assailant was detained by police, local media reports
It not known what condition the prime minister is currently in
The shooting took place in Handlova, about 180km north east of the capital of Bratislava
Local journalists reported hearing several shots fired
Stay with us as we continue to cover this breaking news story.
edit: Initial information about the suspect has been released-
Police detained the suspect after Fico was shot in the central town of Handlova
The BBC’s local correspondent, Rob Cameron, says we’re hearing the attacker is 71 years old from a village in central Slovakia
The pistol the shots were fired from was reportedly legally held
The attacker’s motive is not yet known
A video shows civilians and guards detaining the suspect outside the cultural centre in Handlova The man, wearing a pale blue shirt, was then seen sitting on the ground, hands tied behind his back
While I can’t say I feel bad, it is a little interesting that one of the more vocal opponents to Ukraine got shot while his country borders Ukraine and they’re openly desperate now that the US is backing off
But based on his views and actions there are a lot of people who probably want to shoot him
It’s going to be interesting if this has some kind of Ukraine connection instead of it being a domestic thing. I could see it really galvanising opposition to the war.
I’d think they wouldn’t be that stupid, but so many of them can’t help but have obviously fascist iconography in full camera view, so…
None of the articles mentions anything about the shooter.
They probably won’t for a while, they typically don’t (unless you’re a black male in the US)
I’m purely speculating, since it really seems like western press has taken to simply labeling him pro-Russia