Krakow:Six people were killed and 16 others injured in a shooting in central Krakow, Poland, on Saturday. The Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported that Polish Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration Marcin Kierwinski provided these details on Saturday evening.
According to NAMPA, the injured included two police officers and the gunman. Thirteen of the injured were prioritized for emergency treatment upon admission to the hospital, with one police officer in extremely serious condition. Four of those killed were identified as three Polish women and a British citizen, while the identities of the other two victims were still under verification. Among the injured were five foreign nationals.
The gunman, identified as a Polish national, was wearing military clothing and armed with a military-style long gun. He was wounded and detained by police at the intersection of Dietla and Stradom streets. A significant quantity of firearms and ammunition was found in his car. Unofficial police information cited by news website Onet indicated that the 24-year-old suspect had randomly fired at people while driving, leading to a pursuit and exchange of gunfire with police.
Regional police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo stated there was no evidence of a second perpetrator. The suspect had no identification documents, and police established his identity through operational work. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaking in Krakow on Saturday evening, described the incident as a terrorist attack, noting its unprecedented severity in Poland. Authorities are working to determine the suspect's motives and will make their findings public.
Police discovered three bodies at the suspect's home in the Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski area, believed to be his parents and sister, though this is yet to be confirmed. President Karol Nawrocki declared Sunday and Monday as days of national mourning. Krakow's municipal authorities will cancel events during this period, and a crisis management team is in operation at city hall. Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek emphasized the importance of not obstructing the investigation. Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz promised a thorough investigation into the incident.