Poland mourns after far-right gunman kills six in Kraków
A suspect in his mid-20s opened fire in the main market square, killing four women and two men.
By Robert Ward ·
Residents and tourists in Kraków faced two days of national mourning after a gunman with far-right beliefs killed six people in the city's main market square on Saturday. The Interior Ministry declared November 8 and 9 as official days of grief.
The attack, which occurred around midday, resulted in the deaths of four women and two men. It marks Poland's deadliest shooting incident in decades. One police officer who confronted the shooter remains in critical condition.
Police identified the suspect as a Polish man in his mid-20s from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński stated that the man held ultranationalistic views and was fascinated by far-right ideologies. He used an automatic rifle during the attack.
The suspect was shot by officers at the scene and transported to a hospital near 3 p.m. local time. Regional governor Krzysztof Klęczar reported that the man remains in critical condition.
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced that the suspect faces murder charges for the six victims in Kraków. He also faces a separate murder charge related to three relatives found dead in a home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie. Authorities believe the bodies belong to the suspect's parents and sister.
Żurek characterized the act as a terrorist offense intended to intimidate the public. The investigation is being led by terror offense specialists within the prosecutor's office. Senior Constable Jakub Kulik is fighting for his life in the hospital after one of his lungs stopped functioning.
Survivors described chaos in the square. Taylor Dorfmeister, a 21-year-old American student, hid in a building stairwell while hearing gunfire nearby. Marie-Ange Collaer from Brussels and Neil Thaxton from the U.K. also survived by sheltering in shops. Four of the dead have been identified, including a British national.
U.S. Ambassador Tom Rose praised the reaction of the Polish public. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband expressed solidarity with Poland. Part of Main Market Square reopened Sunday, though police maintained cordons for forensic work.
