How Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s bodyguards sprang into action after he was shot

New Delhi:

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and hospitalized after a cabinet meeting in the central town of Handlova today.

Footage from the aftermath of the attack shows his bodyguards taking him into his armored limousine.

The daily Dennik N, whose reporter saw the prime minister being placed in a car by security guards, reported that the suspected shooter was detained by police, the AFP news agency reported.

Eastern European media outlet NEXTA, in a post on X, citing local reports, said the prime minister was shot several times.

“One in the abdomen, one in the head. He is in serious condition,” NEXTA said in the post.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen denounced the “vile attack” on Robert Fico.

“I strongly condemn the vile attack on Prime Minister Robert Fico. Such acts of violence have no place in our society and undermine democracy, our most precious common good. My thoughts are with Prime Minister Fico and his family” , said von der Leyen on X .

The first minutes after the attack on Robert #I am – the prime minister’s security guards evacuate him to his motorcade while eyewitnesses arrest the shooter

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

-NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 15, 2024

Slovak President Zuzana Caputova condemned the “brutal and reckless” attack on the prime minister. “I am shocked. I wish Robert Fico great strength at this critical time as he recovers from the attack,” she said in a statement, calling it “a brutal and reckless attack.”