KRAKÓW, Poland — Polish prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation Sunday after a gunman motivated by far-right beliefs opened fire in the heart of Kraków on Saturday, killing six people and wounding more than a dozen others in the nation’s deadliest mass shooting in decades.
Authorities identified the attacker as a 24-year-old Polish national from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a city located roughly 90 miles northeast of Kraków. Clad in military fatigues and a bulletproof vest, the shooter drove into Main Market Square around 3 p.m. local time on Saturday and fired an automatic rifle at crowds of residents and tourists before police shot and wounded him.
Hours after the city center violence, investigators discovered three more bodies inside the suspect’s family residence in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. Police confirmed Sunday that the dead were the suspect’s 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister, all of whom appeared to have suffered fatal gunshot wounds.
Extremist Ideology and Charges
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the gunman held radical and ultranationalistic beliefs, noting that evidence collected by investigators points to a deep fascination with far-right extremist movements. Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek stated on social media that the suspect is facing murder and terrorism charges, explaining that the perpetrator acted to instill fear on a large scale.
Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz characterized the shooting as an act of terror. The national prosecutor’s office announced that specialized counterterrorism investigators have assumed control of the inquiry.
Regional Governor Krzysztof Klęczar reported that the victims killed in the square consisted of four women and two men. Officials confirmed that the dead include Polish citizens and a British national. Among the wounded, five are foreign citizens from the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Portugal, and Russia, according to authorities. News reports varied slightly on the total wounded, placing the figure between 15 and 17 people.
Police Officers Hailed for Bravery
Polish leaders praised the swift action of two responding law enforcement officers who confronted the shooter directly in the square. Prime Minister Donald Tusk singled out Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Moranski, describing both men as heroes who prevented a far larger loss of life.
Video captured by bystanders showed an injured officer firing at the suspect before collapsing to the ground. Both officers suffered severe injuries and were hospitalized, with Kulik placed in critical condition following major blood loss. The gunman underwent multiple surgical procedures under armed guard and also remains in critical condition.
“If it weren’t for the efficient and selfless intervention of these two young men, the number of victims could have been significantly higher,” regional governor Krzysztof Klęczar said at a news conference.
National Mourning and Heightened Security
The Polish government declared two national days of mourning beginning Sunday, lowering flags to half-staff across the country. Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała announced the city would observe official mourning through Wednesday.
Mass shootings remain exceedingly rare in Poland, where strict regulations govern firearm possession. Roughly 411,000 individuals legally hold gun licenses in the nation of 37 million people. Klęczar noted that the suspect’s father legally owned more than 10 firearms, and the suspect held weapons as well.
Following the attack, Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski ordered enhanced security measures and physical vehicle barriers around the capital’s historic old town. Portions of Kraków’s central square remained cordoned off Sunday as forensic teams continued gathering ballistic evidence and establishing the precise timeline of the killings.
