Poland: Gunman with Right-Wing Obsession Kills 6 in Krakow, 3 More Bodies Found at Home – Minister

Six people are dead after a 24-year-old Polish man opened fire from his car in Krakow’s Main Market Square on Saturday, and police later found three more bodies at his home. Poland’s Interior Minister said the gunman was obsessed with right-wing ideology and held extremely radical views.

The attack unfolded around 3 p.m. local time in the historic center of Poland’s second-largest city, where six people — four women and two men — were killed and 16 others wounded, including five foreign nationals and a police officer. The suspect, wearing military-style clothing and armed with a long-barreled rifle, fired randomly at pedestrians from inside his vehicle before police shot him; he was arrested and is now receiving hospital treatment. Officers found multiple firearms and a large amount of ammunition in the car. The gunman is so far the only suspect in the case. An AFP reporter at the scene saw numerous ambulances and several police cars, and police cordoned off the area, one of Poland’s most famous tourist destinations popular with locals and foreign tourists. Prime Minister Donald Tusk traveled to Krakow after the attack and said police were investigating all circumstances surrounding the incident. Police announced on platform X that one more wounded person had succumbed to injuries, raising the death toll to six. Authorities have not yet revealed the motive for the attack or the nationalities of those killed.

Three Bodies Found at Gunman’s Home

Police discovered the bodies of two women and one man at the suspect’s residence in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, less than 200 kilometers north of Krakow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said there were strong indications the victims were close family members of the gunman. A drone was used to inspect the inside of the home to anticipate potential security threats. Tusk said, “We know there is a possibility of a large number of weapons in the house.” Local media in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski reported that residents were evacuated from the gunman’s residence building and anti-terror officers entered the building.

Right-Wing Ideology Cited

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said all evidence pointed to the gunman being obsessed with right-wing ideology, though the specific ideology was not yet clear. He praised officers for preventing what could have been a far larger massacre, noting they fired on the suspect just three minutes after receiving the initial report. Kierwinski said police officers and agents from the Internal Security Agency were at the scene and at the suspect’s family home, and that the right-wing influence would be part of the investigation.

National Mourning Declared

Poland has declared two days of national mourning on November 8–9, initiated by President Karol Nawrocki, while Krakow’s mayor set a local period of mourning until November 11. Tusk described the attack as a tragic shooting and offered his highest praise to the police officers who risked their lives during the operation. Lesser Poland Province Head Krzysztof Jan Kleczar told Polsat TV that the death toll had risen to six, saying, “Unfortunately, I have to convey that the death toll has reached six, not five. This is now official information.” He added that the condition of 12 injured people remained critical. The presidential office said the draft decision on the national mourning period would soon be handed to Prime Minister Tusk for signature.

More on this story: Kraków Main Market Square Shooting Kills Six, Injures 15

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