Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital city, was shocked today when a man went on a shooting spree that left 8 dead and the death toll expected to rise. It seems to be a racially motivated attack as the victims were all members of a Roma (Gypsy) family. Across Europe the Roma people are a marginalized group that are treated with mistrust, and Slovakia is no exception.

Pray for the families of those who lost someone, for the people wounded and in hospital and for the people of the city. When there is great need, Christians should rise to respond. The Peace of Pressburg, signed in 1805 in Bratislava (Pressburg), is a historical reminder that this city has been a place of violence and peace. It is our hope that a new peace would be present in Bratislava.

For more information on the shooting, click here.