Six people were killed and 15 others wounded on November 7, 2026, when a gunman opened fire in the Main Market Square, Poland.
Main Market Square Attack
The assault began around 3 p.m. local time as the suspect drove a black Subaru into the historic public square, firing at random passersby from the vehicle, according to Polish media and the Małopolska police.
Witnesses described crowds fleeing into narrow side streets while emergency responders rushed to the scene. Four women and two men died in the square. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the later discoveries of bodies the next acts of this tragedy.
Starszy posterunkowy Jakub Kulik i starszy posterunkowy Artur Morański to prawdziwi bohaterowie. Uratowali prawdopodobnie wiele ludzkich istnień, nie zważając na ryzyko utraty życia. Ich stan jest poważny, ale są pod bardzo dobrą opieką. Cała Polska trzyma za Was kciuki.
Police officers intervened during the rampage. Two young officers were wounded during a close-range exchange of fire before they apprehended the suspect. Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted on X that the officers probably saved many human lives, disregarding the risk to their own.
The detained gunman sustained injuries during the shootout and was transported to a hospital, where he underwent surgery and remained in critical condition.
Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski Discovery
Investigators expanded their search to the suspect’s residence in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, located about 120 miles northeast of Kraków. Authorities discovered three additional bodies inside the home, identified by police as the suspect’s mother, father, and sister.
W późnych godzinach nocnych wraz z ministrami @DStanderski i @PawelOlszewski odbyłem nadzwyczajne spotkanie kierownictwa resortu @CYFRA_GOV_PL z zespołem Ośrodka Przeciwdziałania Dezinformacji, który w trybie kryzysowym monitoruje przestrzeń informacyjną pod kątem dezinformacji…
The prosecutor’s office recovered eleven firearms across both locations, a tally matching the number of weapons permits registered to the suspect and his father. President Karol Nawrocki stated that the head of Poland’s National Security Bureau was on his way to the city to investigate.
Prosecutors Investigate Terrorism Motive in Mass Shooting
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office launched a formal terrorism investigation into the mass shooting. Prosecutor’s Office spokesperson Daniel Prokopowicz stated it was highly likely that the killings in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and Kraków were carried out by the same person.
📌Premier przekazał, że policja, służby specjalne, prokuratura zrobią wszystko, żeby jak najszybciej przekazać informacje opinii publicznej o powodach (strzelaniny – PAP) – powiedział w sobotę na briefingu premier Donald Tusk. 📌- Prawdopodobnie w domu zamachowca są nieżywi… pic.twitter.com/gnV7c1TALa
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński stated that investigators found indications the suspect, confirmed as a 24-year-old Polish citizen, held very radical
and ultranationalistic
views, adding that everything indicated he was fascinated by far-right ideologies.
A British national was among those killed, while five foreign nationals from Britain, Austria, Germany, Portugal, and Russia were among the wounded.
U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose shared a statement on X saying, We are just learning details of the horrific mass shooting in Krakow, a savage and murderous attack that’s shattered the peace of Poland. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also offered their condolences.
Kraków Enters Official Mourning as Warsaw Increases Security
Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała declared that the city will be in official mourning until Wednesday. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski announced increased security measures, including road barriers, along main streets in the old town.
We are just learning details of the horrific mass shooting in Kraków, a savage and murderous attack that’s shattered the peace of Poland. What we know so far is that several innocent precious lives were viciously cut down on a Saturday afternoon in Kraków’s historic and iconic…
Earlier coverage: Krakow Shooting: Six Dead as More Bodies Found in Attacker's Home
The tragic loss of life in the shooting in Kraków is a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland. I have conveyed my heartfelt condolences to @sikorskiradek. My thoughts are with the victims and their families and the first responders. Poland’s strength lies in the resilience…
More on Kraków
🔴Strzelanina w Krakowie. Jest nagranie z momentu zatrzymania zamachowca pic.twitter.com/2EXVvLEoRY
Myślę o Krakowie. Myślę o tych, którym dziś z brutalnością niepojętą dla ludzkiego serca odebrano życie. Ranni próbują ocalić zdrowie i poczucie bezpieczeństwa. Świadkowie zostali z przerażeniem. A rodziny? Dla nich najokrutniejsze jest to, że świat nadal będzie się toczył,…
A shocking crime in Kraków. On behalf of the Ukrainian people, and personally, I extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims. There can be no justification for this attack, and we trust the perpetrator will face justice. We wish strength and a…
The tragic shooting in Kraków, which has claimed lives and left several people injured, is deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences go to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and I wish all those injured a speedy recovery. 😞@donaldtusk, Latvia stands in…
The profound depth of Poland's shock at the horror of yesterday's appalling mass murder in Krakow is truly remarkable to behold. Violence on this scale isn't just unheard of here, it's unthinkable and utterly alien to the Polish national character. Poland is so extraordinarily…
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