Polish prosecutors have launched an investigation into a terrorist crime following the shooting at Krakow’s central market square, in which six people were killed and 17 wounded. The attack was carried out by a 24-year-old Polish citizen, who was detained after a shootout with police and taken to hospital under heavy guard.
The National Prosecutor’s Office said it was investigating “the killing of six people with a firearm and the attempted murder of many others, including police officers, with the act constituting a terrorist crime.” The proceedings are intended to clarify the motives, the preparation and all the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Suspect Opened Fire from a Vehicle
The shooting began on the afternoon of November 7 in Krakow’s historic centre – an area usually packed with tourists and local residents. The suspect drove onto the square at high speed, wearing military clothing and a bulletproof vest. He then began shooting at random people as he drove across the square.
Four women and two men were killed. One of the victims was a British citizen, while some of the others have not yet been publicly identified. Those wounded include citizens of the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany, Portugal and Russia. Two police officers were also injured, one of them seriously.
Krakow police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo described the vehicle’s movement across the square as a “wild ride”. The suspect was wounded in a close-range shootout with police, after which he was taken to hospital and underwent surgery.
Authorities Point to Far-Right Views
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the man had been attracted to far-right ideologies and held “very radical” and “ultranationalist” views. Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz described what happened as an “act of terror” against Krakow.
The bodies of the suspect’s parents and sister were found at his home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, about 200 kilometres northeast of Krakow. Police said the three had probably died from gunshot wounds. The investigation is ongoing.
Two-Day National Mourning Period
A two-day period of national mourning has begun in Poland. People left candles in memory of the victims in Krakow’s central square, while the area and adjoining streets remained partially cordoned off. Police presence has also been increased in Warsaw, including in busy areas frequented by tourists.
The shooting caused alarm in a country that had long been considered safer than many countries in Western Europe. Public tensions also increased after several knife attacks at schools in October, which authorities linked to extremist content online.