A Polish gunman with ultranationalistic
views killed six people and injured 15 others in a shooting at Main Market Square on Saturday, November 7, 2026, before police shot and wounded him, authorities said. Three more people, believed to be the shooter’s family, were later found dead at his home.
Police Shoot Attacker Minutes After Attack
The attack began around 3 p.m. local time when the 25-year-old Polish man drove into the busy tourist square and opened fire randomly at people. Police engaged the shooter in a gunfight. The suspect, who was wearing military-like clothes and used military weapons, was shot and wounded. The only known perpetrator of the incident is in police custody,
the Kraków Police stated.
Horrifying news from Kraków. My deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all those affected by this brutal attack. In this difficult moment, we stand with Poland.@sikorskiradek @PolandMFA
A regional police spokesperson told Reuters that the suspect is in a stable but very critical condition
after undergoing multiple surgeries. Police also found many other weapons and ammunition in the shooter’s vehicle.
Emergency personnel responded at the location of a shooting incident close to the main market square in Krakow, Poland, on Nov. 7, 2026. (Jakub Porzycki/Reuters)
🇸🇰 Minister J. Blanár: I am deeply shocked by the tragic events in Kraków. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims and wish all those injured a swift recovery. #Slovakia stands in solidarity with the Polish people at this difficult time.…
Victims Include Foreign Nationals
Four women and two men were killed in the attack on the square, which is a major tourist destination. One of the victims was a British citizen, and the identities of the remaining two victims were not immediately known. Among the 16 injured were five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia, and Britain. Two police officers were also wounded in the exchange of fire.
Later that evening, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that three more bodies—two women and one man—had been discovered at the shooter’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 120 miles north of Kraków. There are strong indications that they are members of his immediate family,
Tusk said during a crisis meeting.
Starszy posterunkowy Jakub Kulik i starszy posterunkowy Artur Morański to prawdziwi bohaterowie. Uratowali prawdopodobnie wiele ludzkich istnień, nie zważając na ryzyko utraty życia. Ich stan jest poważny, ale są pod bardzo dobrą opieką. Cała Polska trzyma za Was kciuki.
Emergency personnel worked at the scene of a shooting near the main market square of Krakow, Poland, on 7 November 2026. (Jakub Wlodek/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via Reuters)
Authorities Probe Far-Right Motive
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the attack was influenced by far-right ideology. Everything points to the fact that the shooter was influenced by far-right ideology, a matter that will also be subject to investigation,
Kierwiński stated. He described the suspect’s views as “very radical” and “ultranationalistic.”
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…
Poland’s Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the shooting an “act of terror” on the people of Kraków. The attack has drawn comparisons to the 2011 Oslo and Utøya attacks by far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik, though officials have not confirmed a direct link.
A damaged store display near Main Market Square following a shooting that resulted in six fatalities and injuries to more than 10 other people, in Krakow, Poland, on Nov. 7, 2026. (Jakub Włodek/Agencja Wyborcza.pl/via REUTERS)
Nation Mourns, World Reacts
President Karol Nawrocki said he was “deeply concerned by reports of the tragic events” in Kraków. Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała said the city will be in official mourning until Wednesday, vowing that the city would remain open to visitors. The square will belong to us again,
Gibała said in a video posted on X.
World leaders reacted to the attack. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the shooting a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose condemned the savage and murderous attack
and affirmed America’s solidarity with Poland.
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…
Witnesses Describe Chaos on the Square
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and terror. Emergency services advised the public to stay away from locales where police officers and rescue personnel were active, as per the Krakow municipal government.
Religious Leaders Express Shock and Call for Prayer
Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdansk, president of the Polish bishops’ conference, also expressed shock at the violence. Cardinal Rys requested prayers for the deceased and the wounded and instructed parish priests to offer assistance and solace to the victims’ families. He invited residents to a special Sunday Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica. Bishop Wazny concluded his message of condolences: Lord Jesus, embrace those who are weeping, and teach us to be Your arms for Kraków.
Myślę o Krakowie. Myślę o tych, którym dziś z brutalnością niepojętą dla ludzkiego serca odebrano życie. Ranni próbują ocalić zdrowie i poczucie bezpieczeństwa. Świadkowie zostali z przerażeniem. A rodziny? Dla nich najokrutniejsze jest to, że świat nadal będzie się toczył,…
Katarzyna Szalajko writes for OSV News from Warsaw, Poland.
Earlier coverage: Six Killed in Shooting in Krakow Market Square, Poland
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…
More on Main Market Square
📌Premier przekazał, że policja, służby specjalne, prokuratura zrobią wszystko, żeby jak najszybciej przekazać informacje opinii publicznej o powodach (strzelaniny – PAP) – powiedział w sobotę na briefingu premier Donald Tusk. 📌- Prawdopodobnie w domu zamachowca są nieżywi… pic.twitter.com/gnV7c1TALa
🔴Strzelanina w Krakowie. Jest nagranie z momentu zatrzymania zamachowca pic.twitter.com/2EXVvLEoRY
😢😢 Poland shooting latest: Krakow gunman who left six dead 'influenced by far-right ideology' https://t.co/cLIc83t9pl #dkpol
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…
