Poland Opens Terror Probe After Krakow Gunman Kills Six People

Poland launched a terrorism probe on Sunday after a gunman killed six people in a random shooting rampage in Krakow's Main Market Square. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the attack an act of terrorism, noting the 24-year-old Polish man was fascinated by far-right ideologies. The masked attacker wore military gear and a bullet-proof vest, stepping out of his car at an intersection on Saturday to fire at police with a semi-automatic rifle. Two police officers were wounded in the chase, including Jakub Kulik, who managed to shoot and injure the attacker despite his own injuries. The suspect remains in critical condition in a hospital.

Victims and Suspect Home

A British national was among the dead, and 15 people were wounded, including nationals from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal and Russia. Police later searched the suspect's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, located about 150 kilometres northeast of Krakow, where they found three more bodies identified as his parents and a sister. The victims at the home were a 53-year-old man and two women aged 52 and 21, showing preliminary gunshot wounds. Authorities seized seven firearms from the flat and more weapons from the suspect's car. Investigators said the suspect, named in media reports as Michal O., had no prior criminal record and was a member of a shooting club alongside his father.

Mourning and Reactions

Poland declared two days of national mourning starting Sunday, with black flags and national flags bearing black ribbons displayed across the city. Mourners gathered at the sealed-off Main Market Square to leave candles and flowers. Local residents expressed shock, noting that the city is normally considered very safe. Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated he was shocked and saddened by the appalling shooting.

Context

Mass shootings of this scale are extremely rare in Poland, making incidents of random public violence deeply shocking to local residents and authorities alike. Far-right extremism and domestic violence have increasingly drawn the attention of security agencies across Europe as potential triggers for violent attacks. National mourning periods are typically declared by governments to honour victims of major tragedies and offer collective support to affected communities.