Shooting in Kraków kills six people; shooter's motive still uncertain
A 24-year-old man opened fire at Kraków's Main Market Square, killing six people and injuring 16. Authorities are investigating links to far-right ideologies.
Shooting attack in Kraków: six dead and motive still unclear
Six people were killed and 16 injured after a man opened fire at the Main Market Square in Kraków, Poland, in an attack that shocked one of Central Europe's busiest tourist attractions. The shooter, a Polish citizen aged 24, died in hospital, according to bbc.com.
At around 3pm local time, the suspect drove into the square and began "firing randomly at people from inside the vehicle", according to Polish police. A tram travelling in the area was hit by the gunfire — some of its windows shattered — but passengers suffered no injuries. Security force officers arrived at the scene less than three minutes after the attack began and engaged in armed confrontation with the aggressor, who was shot.
The victims include four Poles, one British national and an Austrian — four women and two men. Among the 16 injured are five foreigners from Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Russia, as well as two police officers who were hit at the moment they were restraining the aggressor. The two officers emerged from a comatose state on Sunday, Polish authorities confirmed.
Police described the shooter as someone who "wore military-style clothing" and carried a military-use weapon, although he was not a member of the armed forces. A spokesman stated that "various weapons and ammunition items were found in his vehicle". Polish media reported that the suspect had legal authorisation to carry a weapon and may have obtained the weapons from his family home.
Link to far-right ideologies under investigation
Poland's Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that initial investigations suggest the man was inspired by "far-right ideologies", describing him as an "ultranationalist", without providing further details. However, investigators emphasised that there is still no conclusive evidence linking the shooter to specific political movements. The suspect's residence was searched with support from the counter-terrorism unit.
Hours after the attack, during the search, three bodies were found in the shooter's house: his father, aged 53, his mother, aged 52, and his sister, aged 21. Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled to Kraków and stated: "Until now, we have not had such drastic cases of terrorism in Poland... this is how we need to classify this cruel attack on the lives of people here in Kraków."
Testimonies from those at the square
British national Jonathan Balshaw was with his Polish girlfriend, Dominika, at the Basilica of Saint Mary, next to the square, when the gunfire started. "We ran to the side of the church, entered through a side door and hid with several other people until the gunfire stopped," he recounted. He added that "there were many shots — more than 20 — and it seemed there were different types of firearms; it was possible to distinguish two clearly different sounds."
Another British national, Caitlin Shasby, who had arrived in Kraków with a friend for a long weekend, said she heard the gunfire from her hotel room. She only understood the gravity of the situation when the hotel reception contacted them and instructed them to "remain in your rooms pending further notice".
Two surgeons who were having lunch near the square at the time of the attack rushed to the scene to provide assistance. On Sunday, Michal Pędziwiatr, one of the surgeons, stated that his colleague "without doubt" saved the life of a severely injured police officer. "We witnessed the shooting. And what can a surgeon do in a situation like that?... We decided to help the victims as quickly as possible," he said. His colleague, identified by local media as Mateusz Wierdak, used his own hands to stem the bleeding of the most seriously injured officer until the ambulance arrived.
National mourning and international reactions
Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated he was "deeply concerned" and awaited "a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding these tragic events". Poland declared two days of national mourning, and the mayor of Kraków, Łukasz Gibała, signed a municipal mourning decree until Wednesday, 11 November.
The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, described the shooting as "a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland's borders".
Kraków's Main Market Square is one of Europe's largest medieval squares and a tourist destination with high international footfall.
Source: SIC Notícias