The car chase, the gunfire, the terror, and the massacre. Poland is in shock after a 25-year-old Polish man, wearing camouflage, sped into the city's iconic square, Rynek Glowny, a traditional strolling spot for locals and a gathering place for tourists, in a black, unmarked Subaru and opened fire indiscriminately on passersby with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. The toll was dramatic: at least six people were killed, four women and two men, and about fifteen were injured, many of them in serious condition, including two police officers. Hit by shots fired by officers near the intersection of Stradomska and Dietla streets, the attacker was "neutralized" and transported to a hospital in Krakow, where he underwent resuscitation.
"Three more bodies have been found in the attacker's home," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced at a press conference in Krakow, bringing the final death toll to nine. Local media reported that the bodies were the mother, father, and sister of the shooter. " We have never had such brutal cases of terrorism in Poland before, because that's how we should define the Krakow attack," Tusk added, expressing his hope that "all the attacker's supporters will be arrested as soon as possible."
Investigators believe the 25-year-old acted alone, denying initial reports that two attackers were involved. The motives for the attack remain unknown, and a comprehensive investigation is underway, with no possibility ruled out. "During the arrest, officers used their weapons, but the man returned fire, resulting in two police officers being injured, one of whom is seriously injured," spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo said. She also noted that, in addition to using military-grade weapons, the young Polish man had "numerous weapons and ammunition in his vehicle." The perpetrator had a valid gun license, but reports that he was a soldier have been denied. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that he was "fascinated by far-right ideologies" and held "very radical views."
The attack occurred shortly after 3:00 PM and unfolded in the space of a few minutes, before a stunned crowd strolling or shopping on an early Saturday afternoon. Thirty-four students and three chaperones from a high school in Albano Laziale were also in the Krakow square at the time of the shooting. According to ANSA, they were secured by the Italian Embassy, which sent the director of the Krakow Cultural Institute and the honorary consul.
Dramatic images from videos circulating on social media, recorded shortly after the massacre, show several terrified passersby: some running in every direction, while others tried to help the wounded lying on the ground, providing first aid. Witnesses reported seeing people seeking shelter in shops and restaurants along the usually bustling streets around the Main Market Square. "I saw a man shooting at people and walking around the square," one witness told AFP. "It's a tragedy for Krakow; we've never seen anything like it before," she added.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the city this evening, urging everyone not to speculate on this tragedy. "We will clarify all the circumstances of this crime," he said, praising the "heroic police officers who risked their lives" to stop the attacker. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his condolences, condemning what he called a "shocking crime," while in Brussels, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas emphasized that "in this moment of mourning, Poland is not alone."
"I express my deep sorrow and my deepest condolences to Poland for this cowardly and unacceptable act of violence," said Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, adding that "we will always defend our security and freedom against all forms of terror and violence."
Fatal shootings are extremely rare in Poland, a European Union and NATO member country of 38 million people, characterized by a very low rate of gun ownership. But the nation has been on high alert following a series of knife attacks in October, which Tusk called a "cult of violence." Warsaw, a staunch ally of Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, has repeatedly raised the alarm about Russian sabotage and hybrid warfare activities on Polish soil, accusations Moscow has denied.
(Unioneonline)
