Kraków Mass Shooting: Terrorist Killed Family Before Attacking Market Square

A 24-year-old man drove 160 kilometers from his home to KRAKÓW’s Main Market Square on Saturday, opened fire on random pedestrians, and was shot and detained by police, according to jauns.lv.

The gunman, identified by Santa as Mihails Oksinskis, first killed three people at his family’s apartment in Ostrovec Świętokrzyskie. Police later confirmed the dead were his parents and sister, la.lv reported, citing police spokesman Andrzej Fijolek on RMF FM.

What Happened in the Market Square

Shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday, the attacker rammed his father’s Subaru into the Main Market Square and began shooting, la.lv reported. He wore military-style clothing, a bulletproof vest and a mask, and used a military-style long gun, possibly an AR-15, KRAKÓW police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło told TVN24, according to TVNET.

Panic broke out as people screamed and tried to take cover in nearby buildings, Santa reported. After opening fire, he tried to flee but collided with another car and exchanged fire with police before officers shot and detained him, la.lv reported. Officials characterized the attack as a terrorist act, TVNET reported.

He continued firing at officers even after being shot, Cisło said. Police found numerous other firearms and a large amount of ammunition in his car, TVNET reported. A surgeon at the scene saved the life of a police officer, jauns.lv reported.

Family Killed Before the Attack

Neighbors told Polish media that they heard no screams from the apartment the night before, Santa reported. “We didn’t hear a single scream,” neighbors said, according to jauns.lv. The attacker’s parents were described as pleasant and kind people.

Police found the bodies of two women and one man in the apartment, along with several firearms that likely belonged to the attacker’s father, who held an official gun-storage permit, la.lv reported. The news outlet Onet, cited by la.lv, said the father had 11 registered firearms.

Investigators are still determining whether any were used in the KRAKÓW attack. Police initially located the three bodies with a drone, and counter-terrorism units also worked at the scene, Onet reported, according to la.lv. For security reasons, residents of the apartment building were evacuated in the evening and allowed to return after 11 p.m., la.lv reported.

His sister, Magdalēna, was a talented young artist studying at the KRAKÓW Academy of Fine Arts, Santa reported. She was described as the complete opposite of her brother — purposeful, highly sensitive and creative — and had won a student-of-the-year title at school and already held solo exhibitions, including a portrait of a man resembling Mihails.

The attacker had a specific hobby — shooting — which he pursued with his father, a member of the local shooting club who took part in competitions; the two went to the shooting range every weekend, Santa reported. His drawings often featured violent scenes, but no one had interpreted them as preparation for an attack, Santa reported.

Far-Right Ideology Cited as Motive

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the initial investigation indicates the attacker acted alone and was drawn to far-right ideologies with very radical views, la.lv reported. The precise motive remains under investigation.

President Karol Nawrocki declared two days of national mourning for Sunday and Monday, TVNET reported.

Victims Include Foreign Nationals

Among the six dead are a 32-year-old British citizen, a 51-year-old Austrian citizen, three Polish women aged 61, 47 and 53, and a 50-year-old Polish man, Santa reported. The 15 wounded include citizens of Austria, Russia, Britain, Portugal and Germany, as well as two police officers, TVNET reported.

Among the wounded were also taxi drivers — three women and one man, Santa reported. The attacker remains in critical condition in hospital after surgery, la.lv reported.

How This Compares to Recent Violence

Mass shootings are rare in Poland, TVNET noted, but mid-October saw three school attacks in the Masovian Voivodeship within four days, killing one person and wounding many, including children. Those attackers used knives or other sharp objects.

Poland, with 37 million residents, has roughly 411,000 gun permits, and interest in firearm ownership is rising, TVNET reported. KRAKÓW is a popular tourist destination, and the market square and its Renaissance buildings are among the city’s main attractions, TVNET reported.

Questions Still Open

Interior Minister Kierwiński said the initial investigation indicates he acted alone, but the precise motive is still being investigated, la.lv reported.

Investigators believe he may have planned to flee and hide after the attack, given the mask and bulletproof vest. It is not clear where he obtained the army uniform, Santa reported. A video circulating online reportedly showed the suspect’s face and depicted him wearing full military gear.

A version circulating that he served in a legion in Ukraine was not confirmed, Santa reported.

More on this story: Kraków Main Market Square Shooting Kills Six, Injures 15 · Six Die in Kraków Market Square Shooting as Poland Probes Terrorism