Krakow Square Attack Leaves Six Dead, 15 Injured

Six people died and 15 others were injured on Saturday when a 25-year-old man drove a vehicle into Krakow's Main Square and opened fire with an automatic weapon, Polish authorities said. The attack took place in the heart of the city's Old Town, a major tourist destination in Poland's second-largest city.

Police shot and wounded the gunman after he stopped at multiple locations in the square to shoot at crowds. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński told reporters that the man held very radical and ultranationalistic views. Kierwiński stated that evidence indicates the attacker was fascinated by far-right ideologies.

The victim count includes four women and two men. Authorities confirmed that at least three of the women were Polish citizens, while one victim was a citizen of the United Kingdom. Police were working to identify the two remaining victims at the time of the announcement. A total of 13 people were hospitalized in serious condition, a figure that may include the gunman, who underwent surgery after being shot.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that authorities found the bodies of three of the suspect's close family members inside his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The city is located about 150 kilometers northeast of Krakow. The deceased family members included two women and a man. Tusk described the discovery as the next act of the tragedy.

Krakow police spokesperson Katarzyna Cisło said the attacker wore military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest while using a military-type long gun. Police found additional weapons and ammunition in his vehicle. Cisło noted that the gunman kept firing at officers even after he was shot. She said the attacker engaged in a wild ride around the square, which resulted in people being wounded at several different locations.

Two police officers were seriously injured in the incident. Police commander Marek Boroń said five non-Poles were also among the injured. Two of the injured persons were treated and released within hours of the shooting. It remained unclear how many of the 15 injured individuals were shot.

Videos from witnesses showed people running to small nearby streets for cover and first responders resuscitating victims. In one clip, a police officer was seen shooting the attacker repeatedly while he lay on the street. The attacker later collapsed to the ground. A Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter was seen landing in the square.

Krakow mayor Łukasz Gibała declared that the city would be in official mourning until Wednesday. He stated in a video posted on X that the square would belong to the city again and that Krakow would remain open to visitors. Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced increased security measures, including road barriers along main streets in the Polish capital's old town.

Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland, where approximately 411,000 people hold gun permits out of a population of 37 million. In mid-October, three attacks occurred at schools in the central province of Mazovia within four days, leaving one person dead and many wounded. Kacper Rekawek, a senior researcher at the International Center for Counterterrorism in The Hague, said the attacker's gear and appearance were similar to other extreme right lone actors in Europe.