Polish prosecutors have launched a terrorism investigation after a 24-year-old man, identified in local media as Michal O, opened fire in a busy market square in Krakow. The attack killed six people, including a British citizen, and injured 17 others. Authorities reported that the suspect was probably inspired by far-right ideologies. Interior minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that the gunman held "very radical" and "ultra-nationalistic" views. Police confirmed on Sunday that three bodies found at the suspect’s home were his father, mother, and sister.
The attack and immediate response
The incident began at approximately 3 pm on Saturday when the suspect drove a vehicle into the city’s main square at top speed. Wearing military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest, he took what police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo described as a "wild ride" around the area while shooting at random. The victim count includes four women and two men, with five of the wounded being foreign nationals from Britain, Austria, Germany, Portugal, and Russia. Two police officers were also injured in an exchange of fire, one of whom remains in serious condition. The suspect underwent surgery and is currently under heavy guard in a hospital.
National mourning and international reaction
Two days of national mourning began as flags across Poland lowered to half mast. European Commission officials also lowered flags outside their Brussels headquarters in solidarity with the Polish people. Defense minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz called the event an "act of terror," noting that Krakow receives 15 million visitors annually, most passing through the affected square. UK prime minister Andy Burnham expressed shock and sadness, while German chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany stood with Poland as a friend and partner. French president Emmanuel Macron described the scene as one of "shock and disbelief." Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni sent condolences for the "vile and unacceptable act of violence." President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine stood in solidarity with its neighbor. The daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita wrote that the shooting brought a "brutal end" to an era where Poland was considered an island of safety. Mourners left candles in the partially cordoned-off square, and security in Warsaw was bolstered following the tragedy.
