Krakow gunman kills nine as police probe possible far‑right links
A gunman drove through central Krakow and opened fire on passersby, killing six people in the streets before police stopped him; three more bodies were later found in his home, bringing the death toll to nine and prompting scrutiny of possible far‑right motives.
The death toll from a shooting rampage in Krakow has risen to nine after police found three bodies in the home of the man who opened fire across the city’s center, Poland’s prime minister said.
The attack began around 15:00 local time on Krakow’s Main Market Square. According to accounts relayed by the outlet Nexta, a man in a black car drove onto the square and opened fire on random passersby. He then continued through the city center while still shooting. Nexta reported that six people were killed at the scene — four women and two men — and that a tram was caught in the crossfire. Early figures from Ukrainian‑language reporting put the number of injured at 10, later updated to six dead and 12 wounded, then to six dead and 15 injured.
Security camera footage published later shows the final confrontation with police. In that video, described by multiple posts, the gunman’s car crashes, and he climbs out wearing camouflage and carrying a rifle. One clip shows officers using a car as cover, with only their heads visible. An officer is hit and falls, while another behind the vehicle appears to be struck repeatedly. Commentary on the footage says this officer seems to try to apply a tourniquet or similar item despite an injured right hand, then reloads his weapon one‑handed because he can’t move the other arm. The video ends with police shooting and neutralizing the attacker.
As investigators searched the suspect’s property, the scale of the violence became clearer. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said three people were found dead in the gunman’s home. Ukrainian‑language coverage reported that the victims were likely his relatives and that the dead included two women and a man. Tusk said the authorities believe the bodies are probably members of the shooter’s family.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński told a press conference in Krakow that investigators are examining whether the attacker may have been fascinated by far‑right ideologies. He stressed that this is a working line of inquiry, not a conclusion. Officers from the Polish police and the Internal Security Agency (ABW) are carrying out investigative work both at the crime scenes and at the perpetrator’s family home.
For residents of Krakow, a city better known for tourism and university life, the attack turned familiar spaces into a moving crime scene. Main Market Square, surrounding streets, and even a tram line were briefly exposed to gunfire, while hospitals received a surge of wounded people with little warning.
The shooting is already raising questions about how quickly police units can stop a fast‑moving attacker using both a vehicle and a rifle in dense urban areas, and about protection for officers who may become primary targets during an incident.
Key developments to watch now are the formal identification of all victims, the attacker’s full profile once released by authorities, any confirmed evidence of ideological motives, and government decisions on whether to adjust policing, monitoring of extremist circles, or public‑space security in response.
Sources
- OSINT