Watch how Slovakia's Prime Minister was shot multiple times

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico was hospitalized in critical condition on Wednesday following an assassination attempt that stunned the nation.

The attack occurred after an off-site government meeting in the central Slovak town of Handlova. Reports indicate that the suspected gunman was among a small group waiting to greet the prime minister outside the cultural center where the meeting was

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Footage from the scene captured the gunman approaching Fico and firing at him from close range across a security barrier. Fico was swiftly ushered into a vehicle by his staff and driven away. He was initially taken to a local hospital and later transferred by helicopter to a major trauma center in Banska Bystrica, approximately 20 miles (30 kilometers) away. Fortunately, no one else was harmed during the incident.

Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák and Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok have labeled the shooting as "politically motivated," with Šutaj Eštok suggesting that "the suspect made the decision to do it shortly after the presidential election."

Recent updates indicate that Robert Fico's condition has improved, and he is no longer in a life-threatening state.

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@itvnews Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico had been meeting supporters when he was reportedly shot in the stomach #itvnews #slovakia ♬ original sound - itvnews