Shooting in Kraków Market Square
Six people died and 17 others sustained injuries when a 24-year-old Polish man opened fire at random in Kraków’s Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon, rte.ie reported.
Wearing military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest, the suspect started shooting at random as he took what the Kraków police spokesperson Katarzyna Cisło described as a “wild ride” around the square. Ruby Catherine Warren, from London, heard gunfire and “yelled at my friends to run and we all sprinted for our lives”.
Terrorism Probe and Far-Right Ties
The National Prosecutor’s Office launched a terrorism investigation following the attack. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński stated that the attacker was fascinated by far-right ideologies and held ultra-nationalist views, as reported by the BBC.
Police seized seven firearms from the suspect’s flat in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, where officers also discovered the bodies of his 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister. Police said they also found weapons in the suspect’s car. The three bodies found at the gunman’s home had injuries preliminarily assessed as gunshot wounds, regional police said on social media.
Shooting fatalities and international injuries reported
Four women and two men died in the shooting. The fatalities included a British national, according to police figures cited by the Irish Examiner. Seventeen people suffered injuries during the attack.
The injured group included nationals from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal, and Russia, as reported by rte.ie. Two police officers sustained serious injuries while subduing the gunman during a close-range shootout. It was unclear how many of the injured were shot.
A shocking crime in Kraków. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, and personally, I extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. There can be no justification for this attack, and we trust the perpetrator will face justice. We wish strength and a…
Heroic Police Response and Medical Aid
Prime Minister Donald Tusk hailed the two officers as “true heroes” for preventing further deaths. Two surgeons eating near the square rushed to treat the wounded when no ambulances were immediately available. The BBC reported that one of the doctors used his bare hand to stem severe bleeding from a gravely injured police officer. Both injured officers emerged from comas on Sunday, according to the BBC.
Capital Security and Public Reaction
Authorities in Warsaw increased security measures by installing street barriers in busy tourist areas. In Kraków, flags flew at half-mast across the country while mourners brought candles and flowers to the Main Market Square. The daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita noted in an editorial that the mass shooting brought a brutal end to an era in which Poland was considered a safe haven.
Mourners placed candles in several locations in the area. European flags outside the European Commission in Brussels were lowered to half mast in solidarity with the Polish people, the commission said. Weronika Filar, 27, a Krakow resident, told AFP, I’m absolutely devastated,
adding, It’s one of the safest places on Earth genuinely…I did not expect anything like this to happen to us,
and Our city will never be the same.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current medical condition of the suspect?
The 24-year-old suspect sustained wounds in a shootout with police and remains in critical condition in a hospital, according to rte.ie. He underwent surgery following his arrest.
How many gun permits were recently active in Poland?
Poland issued a record 50,700 gun permits in 2025, bringing the total number of active registered permits to nearly double the figure recorded in 2015, according to police statistics cited by The Guardian.
We are just learning details of the horrific mass shooting in Kraków, a savage and murderous attack that’s shattered the peace of Poland. What we know so far is that several innocent precious lives were viciously cut down on a Saturday afternoon in Kraków’s historic and iconic…
Which foreign dignitaries offered condolences?
Earlier coverage: Kraków Main Market Square Shooting Kills Six, Injures 15
More on Kraków
The tragic shooting in Kraków, which has claimed lives and left several people injured, is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences go to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I wish all those injured a speedy recovery. 😞@donaldtusk, Latvia stands in…
The profound depth of Poland's shock at the horror of yesterday's appalling mass murder in Krakow is truly remarkable to behold. Violence on this scale isn't just unheard of here, it's unthinkable and utterly alien to the Polish national character. Poland is so extraordinarily…
Poland has launched a terrorism probe as mourners brought candles and flowers to Krakow’s Main Market Square in tribute to six people killed by a gunman who authorities said was “fascinated by far-right ideologies.” pic.twitter.com/2WUWXN8SHU
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