Krakow Shooting Suspect Dies After Killing Six in Old Town Square
The 24-year-old man who drove into the crowded plaza and opened fire was pronounced dead Monday, three days after the attack that claimed the lives of his parents and sister.
By Ibrahim Howard ·
Polish police confirmed on Monday that the 24-year-old man responsible for killing six people in a Krakow city square has died in the hospital. He had been in critical condition since Saturday’s attack, in which he also wounded 15 others. The gunman, who held far-right views, was wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest when he drove into the Main Square in the Old Town and began firing. Police officers shot and wounded the attacker, who continued to fire until they stopped him. Both officers remain in the hospital, though they were conscious by Sunday afternoon.
The violence extended beyond the city center. Authorities discovered the bodies of the suspect’s father, mother, and sister at the family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a town roughly 93 miles northeast of Krakow. Officials stated that the three likely died from gunshot wounds. The Main Square is a major tourist hub in Poland’s second-largest city, resulting in a high number of international victims. Four women and two men were killed. Three of the women and one man were Polish citizens. A man from the United Kingdom and a woman from Austria were also among those killed.
The attack occurred on Saturday. By Sunday night, residents had gathered at the square to lay candles and flowers near the bullet holes left in the stone. Maciej Sikorski, a local resident, told The Associated Press that he visited the site to prevent himself from falling into a cycle of fear. “I come here so as not to get caught up in a spiral of fear and anxiety,” Sikorski said. He noted that it is easy to stop living and start vegetating out of fear, a state he wanted to avoid.
Prosecutors opened an investigation on Sunday. They characterized the incident as a terrorist offense involving the murder and attempted murder of numerous individuals, including the two police officers who engaged the gunman. The wounded include five foreigners from the United Kingdom, Portugal, Russia, Germany, and Austria. The two officers who stopped the gunman remain hospitalized. Their condition is being monitored as they recover from the injuries sustained during the confrontation.
