Shooting in central Krakow: six dead, attacker fired from a car. Motive still unknown

According to Polish police, six people died and another 15 were injured in a shooting on the Main Square in Krakow, including police officers. On Saturday around 3:00 PM, the attacker drove onto the square in a car and began shooting at random people; police shot and detained him. Authorities have not officially released the motive or his identity, and the prosecutor's office has not yet said whether it will classify the act as terrorism. Rzeczpospolita ↗

What happened

According to police, a man drove onto the Main Square (Rynek Główny) around 3:00 PM and began shooting at random people from the vehicle. TVN24 ↗ He came from Sławkowska Street. A bullet shattered the driver's cabin window of tram line 1; no one inside was injured, writes Ekonomický deník citing Gazeta Wyborcza. Ekonomický deník ↗

A rescue helicopter landed on the square, and police and municipal guards urged tourists and passersby to take shelter in nearby restaurants and side streets. Polsat News ↗

📍 Main Square (Rynek Główny) in Krakow, site of the shooting — view on map

The number of victims changed throughout the afternoon. Firefighters initially reported two dead and ten injured; around 4:20 PM police confirmed five victims. Before 6:00 PM a sixth was added, and according to a police report from 5:31 PM, 15 people are injured, three of them police officers. TVN24 ↗ Interior Minister Kierwiński spoke of two injured police officers, one with a gunshot wound and the other with three gunshot wounds, in serious condition. The discrepancy between two and three officers has not yet been explained. The figures are as of 6:00 PM and will be updated.

What we know about the attacker

Police speak of a single perpetrator. He was dressed in military-style uniform and carried a military-style long gun; regional police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło stated that he returned fire at police. Police say a large quantity of additional weapons and ammunition was found in the car. Rzeczpospolita ↗ Authorities have not specified the type of weapon. RMF FM, according to Rzeczpospolita, writes about an AR-15 type rifle, which authorities have not confirmed.

Police confirmed he is a Polish citizen. He had no identification on him, and police stated at 4:37 PM that they did not know his identity. Media unofficially report that he is 25 years old and acted alone. ANSA ↗ He is injured and was taken to hospital. Onet ↗

What remains unclear

In the afternoon, a report emerged that there were two attackers. Krakow police spokesman Jakub Mirochna confirmed it around 5:20 PM, but the regional police headquarters denied it shortly before 5:40 PM: „The only known perpetrator of the incident is in police custody." It also denied a report that a police officer had died. Onet ↗

The motive is unknown. Prime Minister Tusk called the act a „zamach" (attack), wrote that police are examining its background and circumstances, and promised: „We will clarify all the circumstances of this crime." TVN24 ↗ The word „zamach" is not yet a legal classification. According to Rzeczpospolita, the prosecutor's office has not yet said whether it is investigating the act as terrorism. An expert cited by TVN24 described the act as a planned operation, but this is his assessment, not a finding by investigators.

Reactions

President Nawrocki announced that he is in contact with the services and is sending the head of the National Security Bureau to Krakow. Minister of Justice and Prosecutor General Żurek said that prosecutors are already working at the scene, and promised that the perpetrator would be held strictly accountable. TVN24 ↗

Expressions of condolence have come from abroad. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš wrote on X that he is thinking „of all the victims, their families and loved ones," and the Czech Foreign Ministry has no information about Czech victims. Ekonomický deník ↗ The Hungarian Foreign Ministry likewise has no information about Hungarian victims. Index ↗ We found no information about Slovak victims in the sources. Authorities have not yet released the nationality of the dead and injured.

What hotinfo is monitoring

Photo: Main Square in Krakow, Andrew Milligan (sumo), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.