A gunman fired from his car into crowds on Krakow’s famous Main Market Square, killing six people in what Poland’s prime minister calls an act of terrorism.
Story Snapshot
- On Saturday, November 7, at about 3 p.m., a man drove onto Krakow’s Main Market Square and began firing at random people from his car, police said.
- Six people were killed, four women and two men, and 15 were wounded, two police officers among them.
- Officers shot and caught the gunman, a 24-year-old Polish man. Police later found his father, mother and sister dead at the family home.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the attack terrorism. Poland’s interior minister said the suspect was “fascinated by far-right ideologies.”
Gunfire in the Heart of Poland’s Most Visited City
Polish officials say the attack was terrorism, and they point to the suspect’s extreme political views. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski, who runs Poland’s police, said the gunman appeared to hold “very radical views” and was “fascinated by far-right ideologies.” Police have not given a formal motive. Tusk said “the police are investigating the background and all the circumstances of the attack.”
The shooting began at about 3 p.m. local time on the Main Market Square, a huge open plaza in Krakow’s old town that draws tourists from around the world. “At around 3 p.m., a man who had driven onto the square began firing at random people from his car,” local police said. The man wore military-style clothing and a mask, according to reports. Reporters at the scene saw people lying on the ground, emergency vehicles and armed police.
Six Dead, 15 Wounded, Two Officers Hurt
Four women and two men were killed on the square, according to officials. One of the dead was a British citizen, according to reports. Fifteen people were wounded, and many were in life-threatening condition after surgery, hospital officials said.
Two police officers were hurt when the gunman fired back during his arrest. Kierwinski said one of them “is fighting for his life.” Tusk named the two officers who stopped the attack, senior constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski, and called them “true heroes.” He said their condition is serious but they are getting excellent care.
What Police Say About the Suspect
Police say the suspect is a 24-year-old Polish citizen from Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, a town in southeastern Poland. He had no criminal record, police said, and he held a legal gun permit. Police say he carried a rifle similar in design to an AR-15 and a pistol. Officers found more guns and ammunition in his car. Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz denied reports that the man was a soldier, saying he “has never had anything to do with the military.”
Police shot and wounded the suspect and took him to a hospital under guard. After the arrest, officers went to his family’s home and found the bodies of two women and a man. Police later confirmed they were his father, mother and sister, according to reports.
A Nation in Mourning
Deadly shootings are extremely rare in Poland. President Karol Nawrocki declared two days of national mourning for Sunday, November 8, and Monday, November 9. Flags are flying at half-staff, and TV and radio stations have changed their schedules.
Leaders around the world sent condolences. The U.S. ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose, called it a “horrific mass shooting.” Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said he was receiving dozens of messages from foreign ministers offering their sympathy. Police and prosecutors are working to piece together a timeline of the killings at the family home and on the square.
Sources:
cnn.com, nbcnews.com, politico.com, dw.com, newsobserver.com
