The 24-year-old Polish gunman who killed six people and injured 15 others in a mass shooting in Kraków died in hospital on Monday morning, police said.
The attack began shortly before 15:00 local time on Saturday, according to the BBC, when the suspect drove a black Subaru into Main Market Square in the historic heart of Poland’s second-largest city, according to The Independent. Wearing tactical attire, a bulletproof vest, and carrying a military-style rifle, he fired at random people from his moving vehicle, police said.
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…
Gunshots rang out around 3 p.m. in Main Square, which is in the heart of Kraków’s Old Town and serves as a major tourist hub. Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland, a European Union and NATO member of 38 million people.
Two police officers, identified as senior constable Jakub Kulik and senior constable Artur Moranski, confronted the gunman within three minutes of the initial report, authorities said.
[Six dead after gunman opens fire in Kraków market square, with three more victims found at suspect’s home] “Suspect was influenced by far-right ideology and held ‘ultra-nationalistic’ views, says Polish interior minister“https://t.co/9fT0hjIVEa
A friend of a surgeon who treated victims on the streets told a press conference that his colleague Mateusz Wierdak was a hero
for saving the life of a police officer after applying pressure to the bleeding wound without protective gear or gloves and stuffing gauze pads into the chest cavity.
Police said the relatives most likely died from gunshot wounds. Deputy Inspector of Police National Headquarters Andrzej Fijołek stated that the man and two women found dead in the apartment are believed to be the suspect’s parents and sister.
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…
According to Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, everything suggests
the perpetrator harbored ultra-nationalist beliefs and was fascinated by far-right ideologies.
Meanwhile, International Center for Counterterrorism in The Hague senior researcher Kacper Rekawek observed that the weaponry, tactical gear, and general appearance of the Kraków shooter bore strong resemblances to other extreme right lone-wolf attackers operating across Europe.
Prosecutors opened a formal investigation into murder and attempted murder as a terrorist offence,
according to the Associated Press.
Six people were killed in the square, including four women and two men. Lesser Poland regional governor Krzysztof Jan Klęczar reported that the fatalities comprised three Polish women aged 47, 53, and 61, a 32-year-old British man, and a 51-year-old female whose citizenship has not yet been determined.
Other authorities confirmed an Austrian woman was among the dead. Sixteen people were injured, including foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia, and Britain, the Interior Ministry stated.
My thoughts are with the victims‘ loved ones of the terrible #Krakow-attack. May the victims be never forgotten. Support for the authorities to investigate & to bring justice. 🖤🇵🇱 @donaldtusk @sikorskiradek @AndrzejHalicki @Adamowicz_Magda @simon_slowik https://t.co/k0qcmNdXGt
The suspect had remained in critical condition following multiple surgeries after the shootout, police said. He died in the hospital at 4:30 a.m. on Monday, authorities confirmed.
Poland observed national days of mourning on Sunday and Monday, the Interior Ministry announced. Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała declared that the city’s official mourning would continue through November 11, according to Fox News. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski unveiled enhanced safety protocols, incorporating vehicular roadblocks along prominent thoroughfares within the historic center of the Polish capital.
[Polish prosecutors open terrorism investigation into Kraków shooting] “Six people killed in attack probably inspired by far right, according to officials, as police say suspect’s parents and sister found dead at his home“https://t.co/JyL11Bzif5
Pope Leo XIV expressed his sadness in a message to the archbishop of Kraków on Sunday. Polish President Karol Nawrocki stated he was deeply concerned by the tragic events. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed shock and sadness. European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas stated that the EU stands with Poland and offered condolences.
Earlier coverage: 6 Killed and 16 Injured in Krakow Shooting by Ultranationalist Gunman
The tragic loss of life in the shooting in Kraków is a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland. I have conveyed my heartfelt condolences to @sikorskiradek. My thoughts are with the victims and their families and the first responders. Poland’s strength lies in the resilience…
