Shooting in Kraków: six dead, gunman dies in hospital
A mass shooting has occurred in Poland, with six people killed in Kraków's old town. The interior minister links the attacker to far-right ideology.
Kraków shooting: nation mourns, gunman dies
Poland declared a two-day national mourning period on 8 November, following an incident on 7 November when a man opened fire in Kraków's historic centre, killing six people and injuring more than ten. According to BNN, citing Reuters, the Polish government maintains that the attack was rooted in far-right ideology.
The incident has shocked the country, which has long taken pride in security levels that surpass those of Western European neighbours, and has deepened public concerns about extremist views. Opposition nationalist politicians dispute the government's assessment that the shooting, in which 16 people were injured, was ideologically motivated.
Among the injured were two police officers and the attacker himself — a 24-year-old man — who, according to BBC data, died in hospital on the morning of 9 November.
Kraków's old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts tourists from around the world. Among the dead are citizens of Britain and Austria, while five more foreign citizens — from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal and Russia — were wounded. Police found the bodies of the attacker's parents and sister at his home, approximately 200 kilometres north of Kraków. A prosecutor's representative, Daniels Prokopovič, stated that there is a strong likelihood that both the murders at the home and the attack in Kraków were committed by the same person, though the investigation is continuing.
Poland's interior minister Marcin Kierwiński announced on 7 November that all evidence points to the attacker holding radical views and being linked to far-right ideology. This claim provoked a sharp reaction from nationalist parties. The deputy chairman of the right-wing Law and Justice party (PiS), Przemysław Czarnek, stated that Kierwiński must take political responsibility if he has misled the public. The party has demanded immediate clarification and access to the information upon which the minister based his claims. On 8 November, Kierwiński confirmed that he stands by his words while the investigation into the attacker's motives continues. Little is known so far about the attacker himself — including that he was a member of a shooting club.
Following the attack, police increased security measures in Warsaw and other Polish cities. The city square in Kraków and adjacent streets were closed until the evening of 8 November; many nearby cafés remained shut, and flags at the city hall building were lowered to half-mast.
Source: BNN