Poland Mourns Six Killed in Krakow Shooting Rampage

Poland has begun a two-day national mourning period following a shooting spree in Krakow that left six people dead and 15 others injured.

The city’s Main Market Square, where the attack occurred, remained cordoned off on Sunday as residents gathered to lay candles in memory of the victims.

Police confirmed that a British national was among those killed, while citizens of Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal and Russia were among the injured, according to the PAP news agency.

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Authorities also discovered three bodies at the suspect’s residence in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, about 150 kilometres northeast of Krakow.

Police identified them as his parents and sister.

The victims were a 53-year-old man and two women aged 52 and 21. Investigators said preliminary examinations indicated that they had sustained gunshot wounds.

Seven firearms were also recovered from the apartment.

The suspected gunman, a 24-year-old Polish national, was shot and wounded by police during the attack and remains in critical condition in the hospital.

He reportedly opened fire indiscriminately in Krakow’s historic city centre.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as terrorism, although police had not established a motive.

Police guard the access of an area in the historic center of Krakow, Poland, on November 7, 2026 where a gunman opened fire killing five people wounding around a dozen. Credit: AFP.

According to police, the suspect was wearing a mask and military-style clothing, including a bulletproof vest, when he abandoned his vehicle at an intersection and fired a semi-automatic rifle at two pursuing officers.

Both officers sustained injuries during the confrontation.

One of the injured officers remained in serious but stable condition, according to the Interior Ministry, as reported by PAP.

Police appealed for blood donations for the officer, identified as Jakub Kulik, whom they commended for confronting the armed suspect without hesitation.

Images circulating on social media showed the officers returning fire, with one managing to hit the gunman despite being injured.

By Sunday morning, the usually crowded Main Market Square had been closed off with red-and-white police tape. Mourners placed candles at the scene, while officers searched the bags of workers entering nearby cafes and restaurants.

Black flags and Polish national flags bearing black ribbons were also displayed across the city following the announcement of the two-day national mourning period.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the suspect, identified by Polish media as Michal O., was dressed in military-style clothing during the shooting.

Weapons were also recovered from his vehicle.

Regional police confirmed that the three people found dead at his home were members of his family, adding that the investigation continued through the night with counter-terrorism officers, forensic specialists and a prosecutor at the scene.