Krakow Shooting: Six Killed in Historic Market Square as Poland Treats Attack as Terrorism

The Krakow shooting on Saturday left six people dead and at least 15 injured in the city’s historic Main Market Square. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called it an act of terrorism. Police later found three more bodies at the suspect’s family home, as of 5:45 PM PKT on Sunday, 8 November.

It is the deadliest shooting in Poland in decades, according to Polish authorities quoted by France 24. Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday.

What happened in the Krakow shooting

The attack began at around 3 pm local time on Saturday, 7 November, CBS News and Euronews reported. A man in military-style clothing drove a car onto the square and opened fire at people at random. Many visitors ran into nearby cafes and shops to hide.

According to police, the six people who died in the square were four women and two men. One of the dead was a British national. Five foreign nationals were among the wounded, including people from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain, NBC News reported. Washington said it had no reports of US citizens among the victims.

Two police officers were shot while stopping the gunman, and one was seriously hurt. Tusk named the two officers as Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański and praised their courage. Polish police said no officer had been killed, correcting earlier reports.

Who is the suspect?

Officials say the suspect is a 24-year-old Polish citizen from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a town about 150 km from Krakow. Some outlets have given his age as 25. Police shot and wounded him, and he is now in hospital in critical condition, France 24 reported on Sunday.

He had no criminal record, Euronews reported. He was also a member of a shooting club with his father, according to AFP reporting carried by France 24. Police said he used a semi-automatic rifle similar to an AR-15. Further weapons and ammunition were found in his car, and seven firearms were seized from his flat.

Later, police found the bodies of the suspect’s father, mother and sister at the family home. Euronews reported that all three had gunshot wounds. Investigators believe the man acted alone.

Possible far-right motive under investigation

The motive has not been confirmed. However, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect appeared to be “fascinated by far-right ideologies”. He also said the man held “ultra-nationalistic” views.

Meanwhile, the National Prosecutor’s Office has opened a terrorism investigation. It covers the killing of six people and the attempted murder of others, including the two police officers. No formal charges had been reported as of Sunday afternoon. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz rejected claims that the suspect served in the army.

A wounded city and a symbol of Poland

The Main Market Square dates back to 1257 and sits in Krakow’s medieval Old Town. It is a UNESCO-listed area and one of Europe’s largest market squares. It is home to the Cloth Hall and St Mary’s Basilica, and draws tourists all year round.

On Sunday, people laid candles at the sealed-off site. Police checked the bags of workers arriving at cafes and restaurants on the square. Flags flew at half-mast, and entertainment events were cancelled across the country.

Krakow Mayor Łukasz Gibała promised that the city would remain open to visitors. “The square will belong to us again,” he said, according to CBS News. The city has announced its own mourning period until Wednesday, 11 November.

Reactions at home and abroad

President Karol Nawrocki said he was waiting for a full explanation of the attack. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas sent her condolences. In addition, US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose wrote that “America stands with Poland at this dark hour.”

The attack comes at a tense time for Polish security. The country had already been on alert after a series of stabbings in October, France 24 noted. Gun ownership has also grown quickly. More than 50,000 new firearms licences were issued in 2025, taking the total to about 411,000.

What comes next

Prosecutors are now examining the suspect’s background, his weapons and his online activity. Questions are also likely about how he obtained his firearms licence. Officials have promised to release more details as the investigation moves forward. For now, Poland is mourning one of the worst attacks in its modern history.