Kraków shooting: six dead, 15 injured on Main Market Square

The number of victims of the shooting on Kraków's main square has risen to six: four women and two men were killed, Polish police said. Another 15 people were wounded, including three police officers. The suspected gunman, a 24-year-old Pole, was detained after being wounded.

What we know about the gunman

At around 3 p.m., a man in military-style clothing drove a car onto Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) and began firing a rifle at random passersby. According to Polish police, it took about an hour to detain him. The attacker was wounded during the arrest and taken to hospital, where, according to unofficial reports, he underwent surgery, as did one of the officers.

The motive remains unclear. According to a Czech Television correspondent in Poland, citing Polish media, the gunman may have obtained the weapon from his father, who had up to eleven such firearms registered in his name. The car the attacker arrived in is also registered to the father. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was found in the vehicle.

Police officers and witnesses

One of the wounded officers is in serious condition. According to Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, he was hit by three bullets and has undergone surgery. Footage of the arrest has appeared on social media, showing the officer who neutralized the attacker sinking to his knees.

According to the news site Dziennik.pl, the gunman fired between 20 and 30 shots. Panic broke out among people on the square, many took shelter in shops, and a nearby museum was closed. Bullets also hit a line 1 tram: according to Kraków city councillor Alicja Szczepańska, it served as cover, and the driver's cab window was smashed, but as far as is known, neither the passengers nor the driver were hurt.

Witnesses described what happened in different ways: some spoke of bursts from an automatic weapon, while another, a former police officer, spoke of single shots. Police later clarified that the gunman had a long-barreled rifle. The news site Onet also reported on possibly two attackers, but police denied in one statement that they were searching for anyone else. Dziennik.pl also reported shooting at the intersection of Stradomska and Dietla streets, but a link between the two incidents has not been confirmed.

Reaction from the authorities

Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the social network X that police are investigating the circumstances, expressed condolences to the victims' families, thanked the officers and called for political calm. President Karol Nawrocki demanded a full investigation, stressing that the safety of Poles is an absolute priority. Minister Kierwiński traveled to Kraków.

Czechia expressed support for its neighbor: Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) wrote that he was thinking of the victims and their loved ones. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has no information so far about any Czech citizens being affected. The city center is cordoned off and access is closed, and by evening police had expanded the zone further.

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Earlier on this topic: Shooting in central Kraków: five dead, 15 wounded, gunman detained

Around Prague, based on reporting by ct24.ceskatelevize.cz