Prague court sentences shop worker to 12 years for katana attack on tourists

A Prague municipal court has sentenced a 23-year-old cannabis shop employee, Quy Ky Vo, to 12 years in prison for an attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm. The non-final verdict also includes an order for his deportation from the Czech Republic.

The incident occurred on December 20, 2025, in Mostecká Street near Charles Bridge. According to the prosecution, Vo initially brandished a baseball bat at a group of Italian tourists. After the group attempted to flee the shop, Vo pursued them and attacked one individual with a katana, striking him on the head, back, and hands. The victim survived the attack largely due to the protection of a thick winter jacket.

Vo, a Vietnamese national who had been studying in the Czech Republic for over two years, admitted to the attack in court. He claimed he acted out of stress and nervousness, fearing the group might steal from the shop. The court reclassified the charge from simple attempted murder to attempted murder with premeditation, noting that the attack occurred while the victims were being pursued rather than as an immediate reaction to a perceived threat.