Poland began a two-day period of national mourning on Sunday following a mass shooting in Krakow that left six people dead and 15 others wounded. Authorities have launched a terrorism investigation into the Saturday attack, which took place in the city's historic Main Square. The 24-year-old suspect, a Polish national described by officials as holding ultranationalistic and far-right views, was shot and wounded by police at the scene.
The shooting occurred in a central tourist hub within Krakow's Old Town. In addition to the victims in the square, police discovered the bodies of the suspect’s mother, father, and sister at their family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, approximately 93 miles from Krakow. Officials stated those three individuals likely died from gunshot wounds. Prosecutors are investigating the incident as a terrorist offense and have started an investigation for murder and attempted murder.
The deceased in the square included four women and two men. According to Malopolska regional governor Krzysztof Jan Klęczar, the victims included four Polish citizens, one man from the United Kingdom, and one woman from an unidentified foreign country. Two police officers who intervened were hospitalized; as of Sunday, one remained in a coma while the other had regained consciousness. Authorities recovered a total of 11 weapons, including seven seized from the family home and four found with the suspect or in his car. The suspect's father reportedly owned more than 10 firearms legally.
The event affected the families of the six people killed in the square and the three family members found dead in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. Residents noted that the scale of the violence is rare for the region; while three knife attacks occurred at schools in the Mazovia province in October, mass shootings are uncommon in Poland. The incident resulted in the first interruption of the historic St. Mary’s Trumpet Call since World War II.
For the 15 wounded survivors, the immediate impact involves medical recovery. The Main Square remained partially closed for the investigation on Sunday morning. Residents described the city as previously being one of the "safest places on Earth."
Kacper Rekawek, a researcher at the International Center for Counterterrorism, noted that while similar attempts had been made previously, this represents a successful attack of this nature in Poland. What happens next includes the continuation of the terrorism probe by prosecutors and the recovery of the wounded officers. No specific trial dates or deadlines for the investigation were reported.