A British national was among six people killed when a gunman opened fire in Krakow's Main Market Square on November 7, an incident Poland's defence minister described as an "act of terror". The shooting took place in the afternoon in the country's second-largest city, a popular tourist destination.
Attack and police response
Police exchanged fire with the suspect three minutes after receiving reports of the attack, which came in shortly after 3.30pm local time, Polish police chief Marek Boron said. Speaking at a press conference, Mr Boron confirmed that one of the six people killed was British. Three victims were Polish nationals while the remaining two have yet to be identified.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the suspect appeared to have been fascinated by far-right ideologies and held "very radical" and "ultra-nationalistic" views. The 25-year-old Polish national allegedly opened fire with an automatic weapon in the busy square, killing four women and two men and leaving at least 15 others injured.
Suspect's actions and injuries
Krakow police said the gunman had driven around the area firing at random people from his vehicle. Two police officers were also wounded, with one left in a serious condition. Katarzyna Cislo, a spokesperson for Krakow police, told TVN24 that the attacker was wearing military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest and had used a military-type long gun. She described the incident as a "wild ride" around the Main Square, explaining why people were wounded at several different locations.
Witness footage shared on social media showed people fleeing the square and taking cover in nearby streets as emergency services rushed to the scene. The suspect was eventually shot and wounded during an exchange of gunfire with police a short distance from where the attack began. He was taken to hospital for surgery and remains in a serious condition. Police said the attacker continued firing at officers even after being shot.
Aftermath and security measures
Investigators believe he acted alone. Officers discovered numerous other weapons and ammunition inside his car as searches continued. The attack also left two horses injured after they were shot in the square. Animal rights group OTOZ Animals said both animals survived, with one grazed by a bullet and the other suffering an injury to its leg.
Krakow mayor Lukasz Gibala announced the city would remain in official mourning until Wednesday, but vowed it would continue to welcome visitors. "The square will belong to us again," he said in a video posted on X. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the police officers who responded to the shooting, while President Karol Nawrocki said his thoughts were with the victims, injured people and their families.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland. However, three attacks at schools in the central province of Mazovia took place within four days in mid-October, leaving one person dead and several others injured, including children. In the aftermath of the shooting, Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski announced increased security measures in the capital, including road barriers along major streets in the old town.
