Six people died and 16 were injured when a far‑right‑inspired shooter attacked Krakow’s bustling Main Market Square.
Shortly before 15:00 local time on Saturday, a 25-year-old Polish man equipped with military-style gear drove his vehicle into Krakow‘s Main Market Square. Within moments he opened fire, spraying bullets at pedestrians, shop windows and even a passing tram.
The chaotic scene lasted roughly three minutes, during which witnesses described deafening gunshots and shattered glass covering the historic square.
Timeline of the attack and immediate police response
The assailant accelerated through the crowded plaza, firing indiscriminately from the driver’s side window.
Video captured by bystanders shows his car careening past landmarks before police units, already positioned around the square, began a high-speed pursuit. Officers exchanged fire with the suspect, eventually forcing his vehicle to crash. The gunman was then shot, apprehended and transported to a hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.
Two police officers were among the injured; one suffered critical wounds after being hit three times, while the other sustained less severe injuries. Both were treated on site before being air-lifted to medical facilities. The rapid deployment of armed police across the city and heightened alerts in Warsaw followed the incident, underscoring the gravity of the event.
Victims, injuries and international dimension
The attack claimed the lives of six individuals: four women and two men. Among the dead were three Polish citizens, one British national, and two victims whose identities have not yet been released. Sixteen people were wounded, including five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and the United Kingdom. The diversity of the injured highlights the square’s status as a major tourist hub visited by millions each year.
Police later discovered three additional bodies inside the suspect’s residence in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, located roughly 125 miles (200 km) from Krakow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the deceased appeared to be the gunman’s immediate family members – two women and a man – suggesting a personal element to the tragedy.
Investigation, motive and political reactions
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński described the shooter as “ultra-nationalist” and indicated that “everything suggests he was fascinated by far-right ideologies.” The suspect was not a member of the Polish armed forces, though the weapons recovered from his car were of military grade.
Prime Minister Tusk labeled the event “the most drastic case of terrorism in Poland to date” and promised a thorough investigation, pledging to capture any potential accomplices. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the massacre “a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland,” while British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed deep sorrow on social media, noting the United Kingdom’s solidarity with Poland.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham also issued a statement, describing the incident as “appalling” and offering condolences to the families of the victims. In Krakow, Mayor Łukasz Gibała announced a period of official mourning lasting until 11 November, yet affirmed that the city would remain open to visitors.
Security measures were swiftly intensified in the Polish capital, with road barriers and increased police presence along main arteries of the Old Town. The incident reignited public debate over Poland’s rising firearm permits – a record 50,700 licences were issued in 2025, pushing the total over one million legal owners.
