suspected shooter is 71-year-old local writer

The person detained and suspected of shooting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is a 71-year-old man from the center of the country, identified by Slovak media as a local writer. “I think I can confirm it, yes”, replied Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok to journalists who questioned him about the identity of the shooter. Furthermore, the Slovak Deputy Prime Minister, Tomas Taraba, assured the BBC that Robert Fico’s vital prognosis was no longer in jeopardy after his operation. “Fortunately, from what I know, the operation went well and ultimately, I imagine he will survive. He is no longer in danger of death at the moment”he assured.

According to local media, the shooter is one of the founders of the Duha (rainbow) literary club in the town of Levice. The press adds that he is the author of several collections of poetry and that he is a member of the official association of Slovak writers. The association confirmed on Facebook that he had been a member since 2015, and that if the facts were confirmed “this despicable person’s membership would be immediately canceled”.

The suspect’s son told news site aktuality.sk that his father had a legally registered firearm. When asked about his father’s feelings towards Robert Fico, he replied: “I’ll tell you one thing: He didn’t vote for him. That’s all I can say.”

Several statements from the suspect are available on social networks. In a video posted online eight years ago, he said: “The world is full of violence and guns. People seem to be going crazy.” He also claimed to have founded a “Movement Against Violence” in Levice, which defines itself on its Facebook page as “an emerging political party whose goal is to prevent the spread of violence in society.”