Six killed and 16 injured in Kraków market square shooting, suspect arrested
A 25-year-old gunman opened fire in Kraków's main market square, killing six people and wounding 16 before being shot by police; three family members were later found dead at his home.
Police in Kraków said a 25-year-old suspect opened fire around 3 p.m. local time on Saturday in the city’s main market square, killing four women and two men and injuring 16 others. The attacker, described as wearing military-style clothing and using "military weapons," was shot and wounded by police and taken to hospital in a "stable but very critical condition," a regional police spokesperson told Reuters.
Police Deputy Inspector Katarzyna Cisło said investigators found "many pieces of weapons and ammunition" in the suspect’s vehicle. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the shooter was "fascinated with far-right ideologies" and held "very radical views," though a clear motive has not been established.
Two police officers injured in the attack underwent surgery and are in stable condition, according to the interior ministry. The injured also include five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain.
During a search of the suspect’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 120 miles north of Kraków, police found the bodies of his sister, mother and father.
Poland’s defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, denied reports that the suspect had served in the military. Kraków mayor Łukasz Gibała announced a period of mourning in the city until 11 November. Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the police officers on X, saying they "likely saved many lives, without regard for the risk of losing their own."
The city’s transport agency reported that a bullet struck a tram, shattering the driver’s window but causing no injuries. Animal-rights group OTOZ Animals said two horses pulling carriages were shot but survived after veterinary treatment.
President of Poland Karol Nawrocki expressed condolences to victims and their families.