The Krakow shooting that left six people dead and 16 injured has prompted a major police investigation in Poland, with authorities treating the attack as a terrorist offence. The shooting took place on Saturday afternoon in the city’s Main Market Square, one of its busiest public spaces, after a masked man opened fire on people in the area.
The attack happened at around 3 p.m. when a man dressed in military-style clothing drove a car onto the popular square and began shooting. People ran for cover, with some seeking shelter inside nearby buildings as gunfire spread panic through the area.
Police officers confronted the gunman in an exchange of fire. The 24-year-old Polish citizen was wounded, arrested and taken to hospital. Officers subsequently checked his vehicle for explosives, while residents of nearby buildings were evacuated as the security operation continued. The Main Market Square and surrounding streets were closed to the public.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office announced on Sunday that the attack was being investigated as a terrorist offence. The announcement followed Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s description of the shooting as an act of terrorism.
The suspect, who reportedly lived in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in southeastern Poland, had no previous criminal convictions and was not listed in police records. Authorities said he held a firearms licence and was likely to have used one of the weapons covered by that licence during the attack.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect appeared to hold very radical views and had an interest in far-right ideologies. However, investigators will need to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and the suspect’s motives.
Reports suggesting that the suspect was a member of the Polish armed forces were rejected by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. He said the 24-year-old had never served in or been associated with the military.
The shooting killed six people, four women and two men. One of the victims has been identified as a British citizen. Sixteen people were injured, including two police officers and the suspect. Reports also identified injured nationals from Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Russia.
The condition of the two police officers became a major concern following the attack. One was shot, while the second suffered three gunshot wounds and was reported to be in an extremely serious condition.
Kierwiński praised the officers for confronting the gunman and protecting the public, describing their actions as an example of their duty to the country. Prime Minister Tusk also identified the officers involved in the suspect’s arrest as senior constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański, praising them for their response.
The investigation also extended beyond the shooting scene after authorities discovered three additional bodies at the suspect’s home on Saturday evening. Prime Minister Tusk said there were strong indications that the deceased were members of the suspect’s immediate family.
Police later confirmed that the bodies belonged to the suspect’s 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother and 20-year-old sister. All three reportedly had gunshot wounds. The discovery raised further questions about the events leading up to the attack and whether the killings at the family home were connected to the shooting in Krakow.
Investigators also examined the weapons believed to have been used during the attack. Police said the suspect carried a semi-automatic firearm resembling an AR-15 rifle, fitted with an optical sight, as well as a pistol. Officers also recovered a substantial quantity of other weapons and ammunition from his vehicle.
The scale of the attack led the Polish government to declare two days of national mourning, beginning at midnight on Sunday. National flags were lowered to half-mast, while public institutions and media organisations adopted subdued displays in recognition of the victims.
Television and radio broadcasters adjusted their schedules, websites displayed black ribbons alongside their logos, and several entertainment events were cancelled.
The investigation now involves establishing the suspect’s movements, the circumstances surrounding the deaths at his family home and the reasons behind the violence in Krakow’s historic city centre.
Editorial accuracy note: The latest reporting confirms that the suspect’s sister was 21, not 20, as stated in the supplied source. The National Prosecutor’s Office has also confirmed that the investigation covers both the six deaths in Krakow and the three deaths at the family home. The motive remains under investigation, so far-right ideological influence should be attributed to officials rather than presented as an established motive.
