Shooting in Krakow: six dead and 16 wounded, gunman deceased after attack
A 24-year-old man opened fire on Krakow's Main Market Square on Saturday, killing six people and wounding sixteen. The assailant died from his injuries.
Krakow in mourning after shooting in historic city centre
As reported by fr.euronews.com, a masked man dressed in military attire emerged on Saturday around 15:00 in a vehicle on the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) in Krakow, one of Poland's most frequented tourist sites, before opening fire on passersby. The toll stands at six dead and sixteen wounded.
The assailant also fired in the direction of a tram on line 1 whilst driving his vehicle. The driver's cabin window was broken, but neither the driver nor passengers were hit. Gripped by panic, pedestrians sought refuge under doorways, in nearby churches, cafés and restaurants.
Police intervention in three minutes
Law enforcement responded just three minutes after receiving the alert, according to Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński. Following an exchange of gunfire, the assailant was wounded, arrested and transported to hospital. He subsequently died from his injuries.
Firefighters and medical rescue teams arrived almost simultaneously at the scene. Kierwiński praised the speed of the intervention, estimating that it had limited the toll. A total of around thirty police patrols were mobilised.
The suspect's vehicle was subsequently inspected to check for the possible presence of explosives, and residents of neighbouring buildings were evacuated during the operation. The square and adjacent streets were closed to allow investigators to carry out necessary investigations.
The suspect's profile
The assailant is a 24-year-old Pole from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, in the voivodeship of Holy Cross, in the south-east of the country. With no criminal record and previously unknown to police, he held legal authorisation for firearm possession. According to investigators, he used one of the weapons covered by this authorisation.
Kierwiński indicated that several elements suggested the suspect held "very, very radical" opinions and was "fascinated by far-right ideologies". He also specified that no element permitted, at this stage, supposing that other individuals had participated in the attack.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz denied information suggesting the suspect had belonged to the Polish military. "This man was not and is not a soldier of the Polish armed forces. He never had anything to do with the military," he stated.
Six dead, including foreign nationals
Among the six people killed are four women and two men: three Polish women and one Polish man, a British citizen and a woman whose nationality has not yet been disclosed.
The sixteen wounded include two police officers and the suspect himself. Several foreign nationals also figure among the victims, of British, Portuguese, Russian, German and Austrian nationality. The Portuguese government confirmed that one of its nationals is among the wounded. The Russian Embassy in Poland announced that a citizen of the Russian Federation also counts among the wounded, specifying that it remains "in contact with the victim's relatives" and is following "the evolution of the situation".
Three family members found dead at his home
On Saturday evening, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that two women and a man had been found dead in the apartment where the assailant lived, specifying that they were presumably members of his immediate family. Police subsequently confirmed they were the suspect's father, mother and sister. The three victims had bullet wounds.
Tribute to wounded police officers
Polish authorities paid tribute to the police officers who intervened to neutralise the assailant. Kierwiński emphasised that the officers had acted "without hesitation, at the risk of their lives". One of the two police officers shot was hit three times and is in "very serious condition".
"The police behaved heroically today. They carried out their duty towards citizens and the homeland in exemplary fashion. One of them is fighting for his life. Another is wounded. I call on everyone to respect their sacrifice," the minister said on X.
Donald Tusk also praised the courage of the two officers. "All of Poland has its fingers crossed for you," said the head of government.
Arsenal found in vehicle
According to police, the perpetrator of the shooting was in possession of a semi-automatic rifle of similar design to an AR-15, equipped with an optical sight visible in photographs taken at the scene. He also carried a pistol. Investigators discovered a substantial quantity of other weapons and ammunition aboard his vehicle.
The attack prompted numerous reactions abroad, with several European leaders and government representatives expressing their solidarity with Poland.
Source: Google News MA