A gunman who killed six people in central Krakow on Saturday has died in hospital, Polish police said early on Monday. The Krakow mass shooting, which took place in the city's historic Main Market Square, has left Poland, and particularly the second-largest city, in mourning.
The attack and the police response
The shooting began shortly before 15:00 local time in the square, a busy tourist hub. Armed officers reached the scene quickly and shot the suspect within about three minutes of the attack starting, which officials said prevented a further massacre. Police identified him as a 24-year-old Polish man but did not confirm his name.
Six people, four women and two men, have been confirmed dead. The number of wounded differs between accounts: one report put it at a dozen, while another said 15 people were wounded. Earlier accounts described the suspect as being in serious condition before police confirmed his death.
Agency reports said the suspect came from Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, a town of just under 60,000 people in southeastern Poland. The same reports linked him to the deaths of his sister and parents at the family home, but officials have not been quoted confirming that connection.
Officials point to far-right links
Government officials said early investigations suggested the man may have been inspired by far-right ideology. One minister also described him as an ultra-nationalist, without giving more detail. Karolina Galecka, an interior ministry spokeswoman, told the radio station TOK FM that emblems on his clothing were being examined by specialists, and she declined to comment further while the investigation continues.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the courage of police officers, the work of paramedics and ordinary people who rushed to help, saying on X that "we are all deeply grateful to them." Krakow mayor Łukasz Gibała urged residents to stay together, saying the violence would not change the city's character. Visitors described the scene in frightening terms. A visitor from Brussels wrote that she lay on a shop floor while bullets flew, and a Krakow surgeon said a colleague treated a police officer who had subdued the attacker, which he believed probably saved the officer's life.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Saturday, shortly before 15:00 local time: A gunman opens fire in Krakow's Main Market Square.
- Saturday, within about three minutes: Police shoot the suspect, who is then arrested.
- Saturday, after the attack: Government officials say he may have been inspired by far-right ideology.
- Monday, early morning: Police say the suspect has died in hospital.
- Monday: The interior ministry spokeswoman says the emblems on his clothing are being analysed, and the investigation is ongoing.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Krakow mein Saturday ko Main Market Square mein ek hamlawar ne firing karke chhe log maar diye. Police ki goli se woh zakhmi hua aur Monday ko hospital mein mar gaya. Tehqiqat jaari hai, aur abhi tak yeh saaf nahi hua ke usne yeh kyun kiya. Agar aap Poland safar karne ka soch rahe hain, to apni hukumat ki travel hidayat zaroor dekhein.
