Ostrava, North Moravia, July 20 (CTK) – The Czech police shot dead a 60-year-old debtor who fired at a distraint officer, 51, and a female clerk, 37, and wounded them during a court-ordered eviction in Ostrava-Hrusov this morning, deputy regional police chief Radim Wita told CTK yesterday.
The police officers were called by the distraint officer to assist in the distraint for security reasons. They returned the man’s fire and killed him, Wita said.
He said the shooting attack seemed to be well-considered and prepared in advance. The debtor had further three full magazines with 90 cartridges, Wita said.
“As there were further eight people on the spot, the consequences might have been more serious,” he said, mentioning three police officers, employees of a removal company and representatives of the owner of the house.
The lives of the distraint officer and the clerk who was present to the eviction as a neutral person are not endangered. They were both shot in the leg. One of the policemen was injured as well.
The debtor was shooting from a long firearm, which he possessed illegally. The man’s injury is more serious than that of the woman.
The police are searching for another man, probably the debtor’s son, who was in the house during the shooting and fled. The escaped man may be armed. The police are also searching for more illegal firearms that might be in the house.
The case is investigated as an attempted murder.
According to CTK sources, the shot man was a former police officer. Wita said the man had no right to carry firearms.
“The criminal proceedings are underway. We will not comment on the perpetrator’s identity,” he said.
Wita said the debtor came out of the house and started shooting when the policemen followed by the distraint officer and other civilians walked towards the house. He praised the policemen for a very fast and professional intervention.
Czech distraint officer’s association head Pavla Fucikova said society is increasingly against distraint officers who fear of their security.
Fucikova said the case is a consequence of the increasingly aggressive mood in society that considers it standard not to pay one’s debts.
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