Scottish DJ James Campbell Named Among Six Killed in Krakow Shooting

A Scottish man killed in the Nov. 7 shooting in central Krakow has been named as James Campbell, 32, a DJ from Prestwick in South Ayrshire, according to the BBC and the Guardian. He was one of six people killed by a lone gunman in the Polish city's main market square.

Police Scotland said it is supporting Campbell's family. Formal identification has not yet taken place, and police said the shared priority is to establish it so his body can be returned to Scotland as quickly as possible.

What happened in Krakow's market square?

The BBC reported that the attack began on Saturday afternoon in Main Market Square, a popular tourist spot. Police said the gunman drove into the square and began firing at random people from his car. According to the Guardian, he was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and wore military-style clothing.

Armed officers arrived quickly and exchanged fire with him. The BBC said he was shot within three minutes of the attack starting. The Guardian reported that two police officers, seriously wounded in the chase, shot him at an intersection near the square.

Who were the victims?

The gunman killed four Polish citizens, an Austrian woman and Campbell, the BBC reported. Fifteen other people were injured, including two police officers.

The Guardian reported that one of the injured is Harry Marchant, 19, from York, who remains in Poland receiving hospital treatment. North Yorkshire police confirmed he suffered a gunshot wound. His family said through the force that he is now in stable condition and thanked first responders, medical staff and people in Poland for their care.

What is known about the gunman?

Prosecutors identified him as Michal Oksinski, 24, from the town of Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, the Guardian reported. He died in hospital on Monday. Police later found the bodies of his parents and a sister at the family home in another town, and he is also suspected of killing them, bringing the total to nine deaths.

The Guardian said he was initially believed to have been inspired by far-right ideologies, but prosecutors later said his reasons remained unclear. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the attack an act of “terrorism” and said it was the deadliest shooting in the country since the fall of communism in 1989.

What this means for families, communities and travelers

For Campbell's family, the immediate focus is identification and repatriation. Det. Chief Insp. David McAlinden of Police Scotland's Counter Terrorism Policing unit said the force is working with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the UK counter-terrorism policing network and Polish authorities. The family has asked for privacy.

McAlinden also urged the public to stay vigilant and report any concerns to police. He said information can be given online in confidence, or by calling 999 in an emergency.

Siobhian Brown, the member of the Scottish Parliament for Ayr, told the Ayr Advertiser she was shocked and deeply saddened. She said the news would be felt by the Polish community in her constituency and across Ayrshire, and she called on people to stand together and against hatred, extremism and violence. Prestwick's local branch of the Scottish National Party also paid tribute to Campbell.

The BBC also reported that two friends from Aberdeen, Ciaran McMenemy, 26, and Charlie Hutchison, 27, had just sat down for a drink when the gunfire began. They said they fled and took shelter.

What happens next?

Formal identification of Campbell is still to be carried out, after which his repatriation can proceed. UK police say they are supporting Polish authorities, who are still working to establish why the gunman carried out the attack. Tens of thousands of people joined a silent march in Krakow on Monday evening, led by Poland's president and prime minister, in tribute to the victims, according to the Guardian.

Around Prague, based on reporting by BBC, BBC News, The Guardian

Cover photo: Ingo Mehling / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

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