Robert Fico, the 59-year-old Prime Minister of Slovakia, was shot and wounded in a shooting in Handlova, about 150 kilometers from the capital, on Wednesday and taken to the hospital. 

Fico was shot in the chest and stomach. A post on the official Facebook page of the government said he "is currently in mortal danger," adding that he was "shot several times." The government has called the incident an "attempted assassination."

The latest reports say four to five shots were fired. In a video posted by NEXTA, an independent Belarusian media outlet, Robert Fico can be seen (and heard) being shot. Please be advised that the footage may be disturbing to some viewers.

️️️ The moment of the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Five shots are heard in the video. pic.twitter.com/0bhjX795md

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 15, 2024

Moments later, the gunman was detained at the scene. The suspect was identified by Slovak broadcaster JOJ TV as Juraj C.. Born in 1953, he is a writer and poet and a member of the Slovak Writers' Association.

He reportedly approached the prime minister outside the House of Culture after shouting "Robo, come here" in a crowd of people trying to greet Fico following a government meeting.

‼️ The shooter has been detained, according to preliminary police reports, he was aiming precisely at the prime minister - HNonline.

Video: police detain the shooter at the scene of the assassination attempt. pic.twitter.com/Cl9dwUwfqv

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 15, 2024

After the attack, the Slovak prime minister was put into a car and later airlifted to Roosevelt Hospital in Banská Bystrica.

Robert Fico was reportedly shot in the "abdomen" and "in the shoulder and hand." He is in critical condition. 

️️️ The first minutes after the attack on Robert #Fico - the prime minister's security guards evacuate him to his motorcade while eyewitnesses hold the shooter

According to preliminary information from Slovak media, Fico was shot multiple times. One to the abdomen, one to the… pic.twitter.com/vhcYPPjjlg

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 15, 2024

See Also: Autor de ataque a Fico será um homem de 71 anos. O que se sabe até agora (Portuguese version)