Eight people shot dead by gunman in Czech restaurant who is also dead after mass slaying

• Czech Interior Minister confirmed the shooting in town of Uhersky Brod
• Suspected gunman who is local and aged around 60 also died in the attack
• Reported that he stormed the restaurant and started shooting randomly
• Before the attack he had called local TV to tell them of his plans
• Minister said it was not a terrorism but gunman was 'mentally unstable'
• Around 20 people in total were inside the restaurant when gunman struck

Published: 10:22 EST, 24 February 2015 | Updated: 11:12 EST, 24 February 2015

Eight people have been killed after a mass shooting at a restaurant in the eastern Czech Republic.

A gunman, who is said to have been around 60 years old, stormed a restaurant, shooting indiscriminately before reportedly turning the gun on himself.

A police spokesman confirmed the shooting in the town of Uhersky Brod, which is 180 miles south east of Prague, but declined to comment on any of the victims.

Police secure the restaurant in the eastern Czech town of Uhersky Brod, where eight people have been shot dead

The restaurant where the shooting has taken place. The mayor of the town confirmed that the shooter was a local man aged around 60

However, the mayor of the town Patrik Kuncar said that the shooter was a local man and that he was carrying two weapons, including a shotgun.

He said: 'I have been conveyed information that it was a 60-year-old local man, probably mentally unstable.

'I assume this was an isolated incident. I cannot see security measures that would prevent incidents like this.

'We have various anti-terrorist measures but we can see that, here, probably a lone shooter struck with no warning.'

He also added that a waitress working in the restaurant had been hospitalised.

Police officers stand guard near to where a gunman opened fire. They closed roads in the area surrounding the scene

Police cordoned off roads as witnesses say that around 20 people were in the restaurant at the time of the shooting

Meanwhile Czech interior minister Milan Chovanec tweeted to say he was on his way to the scene, but says it does not appear to be a terrorist attack, but the actions of a man who was mentally unstable.

He added that he planned to hold a news conference when he arrived.

According to Czech television, the gunman stormed into the Druzhba restaurant and started shooting indiscriminately, firing off several rounds around noon.

One witness added that around 20 people were in the restaurant at the time of the shooting enjoying lunch.

Other reports say the gunman called a Czech TV station shortly before the attack and spoke of his plans to open fire.

A police officer directs traffic away from the restaurant where the shooter opened fire killing eight people

It is thought that he told a journalist that he had been 'hurt' by people and the authorities had not helped.

The shooter reportedly said: 'They're bullying me. I'm going to take care of this myself.'

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and the restaurant was then cordoned off.

Police officers were also seen closing roads near to where the incident took place and were pictured diverting traffic from surrounding streets.

The town of Uhersky Brod, home to 17,000, home to the Ceska Zbrojovka gun plant.

The Czech Republic has strict gun control laws but hunting is popular in the eastern European nation.