Krakow gunman: nine dead, four phones and motive still unknown
The investigation into the massacre at Krakow's Main Square on 7 November continues, but the motive of 24-year-old Michał Oksiński remains unclear. Nine people are dead, and four of the perpetrator's phones remain inaccessible.
Krakow gunman killed nine people – prosecutor responds to key questions
The Polish National Prosecutor's Office responded to questions from newspaper Fakt about the attacker who shot six people on Krakow's Main Square on 7 November. Nowy Czas is reporting these details: the motive for the act, which shook all of Europe, remains unknown.
Michał Oksiński (24) murdered three members of his own family in the town of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski before the Krakow attack – his 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother and 20-year-old sister Magda. Investigators found the bodies of his father and sister in beds. According to National Prosecutor's Office spokesman Przemysław Nowak, all three died from gunshot wounds to the head. The murders took place in the night between Friday and Saturday or on Saturday morning, with the victims dying at approximately the same time. Investigators do not yet know whether the victims were asleep at the time of the attack, or whether they attempted to defend themselves or flee.
The attack on Krakow's Main Square claimed six further lives and left multiple people injured. In total, therefore, Oksiński killed nine people. The act was classified as terrorism.
Why Krakow?
One of the key unanswered questions remains why the perpetrator chose Krakow's Main Square as his target after committing murders in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The prosecutor's office is investigating when he began planning the attack and whether it was a long-considered intention or a decision made shortly before the tragedy. No classic farewell note was found. Investigators found no manifesto or other materials that would clearly explain the motive. "We are examining every possible lead that could be connected to the motive," prosecutor Nowak emphasised.
Family conflict as one theory
The prosecutor's office confirms that it is also investigating the possibility of a preceding family conflict. "This theory is being examined in the same way as everything else that may be relevant to determining the motive," Nowak stated. It is not known whether any dispute within the family was connected in any way to the subsequent attack on the square. Investigators are also examining whether Oksiński used a silencer when murdering his relatives – a device of this type was found in the boot of his car – though this has not yet been confirmed.
Weapons, hundreds of rounds and four locked phones
During the police operation, officers seized four firearms from the perpetrator and his car, including two AR-15 type rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. A further seven weapons were found in his flat in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. Oksiński obtained a firearms permit in January 2026 and purchased his first weapon in March of that same year.
The investigation is complicated by the fact that four phones belonging to the perpetrator remain inaccessible to investigators. The contents of these devices could provide key clues about the motive and the course of the attack's preparation.
Perpetrator died before charges could be brought
Michał Oksiński died on 9 November in a Krakow hospital, two days after the attack. No charges were brought against him. His death, however, did not stop the investigation – the prosecutor's office continues searching for answers, as the acts claimed nine lives and the public and relatives deserve an explanation.
The National Prosecutor's Office is conducting parallel investigations – the murder of three people in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and the terrorist attack in Krakow in which six people were killed. Investigators are reconstructing the course of events and analysing the seized evidence. However, many mysteries remain unsolved according to the findings to date.
Source: Nový Čas