Six Dead as Gunman Drives Into Krakow Market Square
Police shot the 24-year-old attacker, who was wearing body armor and using a military-style rifle during the Saturday afternoon attack.
By Marco Whitaker ·
Six people died and 15 others were wounded after a gunman drove into the Main Square in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday afternoon.
The 24-year-old Polish citizen aimed at random pedestrians as he navigated the vehicle through the busy tourist area. Authorities confirmed that four women and two men were among the deceased. Two police officers were also injured during the response, with one suffering serious wounds.
Krakow police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo stated that the attacker wore military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest. He utilized a military-type long gun for the shooting. Officers found additional weapons and ammunition inside the vehicle. The gunman continued firing at police even after being hit by return fire.
Police engaged the suspect in a gunfight a short distance from the initial shooting. They shot and wounded him, and he was subsequently transported to a hospital for surgery. Cislo described the attacker’s movement as a wild ride around the square, which explains why victims were found in multiple locations. Witness videos show residents fleeing into nearby small streets to take cover.
Cislo confirmed that the gunman acted alone and declared the public safe. It remains unclear if the firearms used in the attack or those stored in the car held legal permits. Poland currently has approximately 411,000 people holding gun permits within a population of 37 million, with interest in ownership on the rise.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted on X to praise the responding officers. President Karol Nawrocki sent his thoughts to the victims and their families. A tram driver reported that his vehicle was shot at from a moving car near the square around 3 p.m., shattering the cabin window. A medical air rescue helicopter landed in the square, and police and ambulances covered the area.
The attack occurred in a city that receives about 15 million tourists annually, most of whom visit the Main Square. Mass shootings are rare in Poland, though three school attacks in the Mazovia province in mid-October left one person dead and many wounded, including children.
