Krakow Gun Attack in Poland: 6 Dead, Gunman Arrested
A 25-year-old gunman opened fire in central Krakow, Poland, leaving at least 6 dead and 16 injured, with 3 more bodies found at his home.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- A mass shooting occurred at the Main Market Square in Krakow, Poland, just before 15:00 local time.
- At least six people were killed, including a British national, and 16 others were injured.
- Armed police shot and arrested the 25-year-old suspect within three minutes of the attack.
- Three additional bodies were discovered during a police search of the gunman's residence.
A shocking shooting incident unfolded in Poland as a gunman opened fire on civilians in central Krakow, the country's second-largest city, resulting in multiple casualties. The attack began shortly before 15:00 local time (14:00 GMT) at the Main Market Square, a bustling and crowded hub in the city.
According to police reports, the man drove a vehicle into the square before beginning to shoot randomly at people from inside the car. Footage from the scene captured widespread panic as citizens fled amid clear sounds of gunfire. A passing tram was struck during the indiscriminate attack, shattering its windows, though no passengers sustained injuries inside.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Armed police officers rushed to the location and engaged the attacker in a shootout, managing to shoot and arrest him within three minutes of the incident's onset, which officials noted prevented a far greater massacre. The gunman survived the shooting and is currently in police custody. Authenticated video footage showed a police officer confronting the suspect on the ground before firing multiple times, after which the officer also fell to the ground having been injured.
Polish authorities confirmed that six people—four women and two men—were killed at the scene, including one British national. Sixteen others, including five foreigners and the attacker, were hospitalized. The interior ministry stated that the injured victims hailed from Britain, Austria, Russia, Germany, and Portugal. Prime Minister Donald Tusk later identified the wounded officers as Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Morański.
Krakow is one of Poland's most prominent cultural and tourist centers, featuring one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe. An attack of this scale in such a public and historic location highlights the ongoing challenges regarding urban security and public safety in major European tourist destinations, while counter-terrorism authorities work to uncover the suspect's potential far-right motivations.
Prime Minister Tusk added that three additional bodies—two women and one man—were found inside the gunman's house when law enforcement searched the property following the attack. A government minister noted that one of the injured police officers was in critical condition after being shot three times during the arrest and was undergoing surgery.
"We ran down the side of the church and through the side door and hid with several other people until the gunfire died down. A lot of shots were fired, more than 20 with it sounding like multiple different firearms - there were two distinctly different noises."
Jonathan Balshaw, British eyewitness
Police identified the attacker as a 25-year-old Polish man wearing military-style attire with a military-grade weapon, though officials confirmed he was not an active soldier. Numerous weapon parts and ammunition were discovered inside his vehicle, which was stopped at the intersection of Dietla and Stradomska streets.
Krakow Mayor Łukasz Gibała declared a period of municipal mourning lasting until Wednesday, November 11. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose condemned the incident as a savage and murderous assault.
Source: BBC World
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