The 65,000-strong Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic stay calm after the February 24 shooting incident in Zlin province’s Uhersky Brod town that killed nine people.

Chairman of the Vietnamese People’s Association in the Czech Republic Hoang Dinh Thang said the association has asked its chapters and members to pay increased attention to security concerns but not become overly concerned about the incident.

He said the Czech Republic is a peaceful country and has a strong security record, adding that the deadly shooting is an unusual incident, not a terrorist act, and there is minimal chance of any reoccurrences.

Nguyen Danh Lan, Vice Chairman of the association’s chapter in Zlin, said all 300 Vietnamese nationals in the province were unfazed by the event and Vietnamese-run shops near the scene were open as usual on February 25.

On February 24, a gunman burst into the Družba (Best Man) pub in Uhersky Brod during lunchtime, brandishing two weapons and firing at random into the open dining area, leaving eight dead. The man then fatally shot himself.

Jaromir Tkadlecek, Director of Zlin provincial police, told the press on February 25 that the investigation is still underway and it will be some time before a determination can be made on the motive of the gunman.-VNA