What happened
Six people were killed and 15 wounded in Kraków on Saturday afternoon when a gunman opened fire at random from a moving car in the city's Main Market Square, one of Europe's most visited historic squares, police said. The attacker, described by police as a Polish citizen wearing military-style clothing and carrying a military-type long gun, was shot by officers and detained a short distance from the square. No motive has been established, and the investigation was continuing on Saturday evening.
The shooting began at around 3 p.m. local time (1400 GMT), when the suspect drove into the square — known in Polish as the Rynek Główny — and started firing at passersby, according to Kraków police. The square, lined with cafes and bars and dominated by the Cloth Hall and St Mary's Basilica, is typically crowded with tourists and locals on a Saturday afternoon, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Police said they began receiving reports in the afternoon that a car from which shots were being fired at random people had entered the square. A tram driver reported at around the same time that his vehicle had been shot at while passing nearby, shattering the driver's window but causing no injuries, according to the city's transport company.
The victims
Four women and two men were killed, Kraków police said. Fifteen people were wounded, including two police officers. One officer was in a serious condition after being shot, and a second officer was in a very critical condition with three gunshot wounds, with surgery under way, according to the Times of Israel, citing police. The Week reported that 12 of the injured were in a critical condition.
Police have not released the identities or nationalities of the victims. Emergency services were still working at the scene on Saturday evening, police said in an update.
What is not yet known: the gunman's motive, the identities of the victims, and whether any of the wounded were tourists. Police have said only that the attacker was a Polish citizen and the sole perpetrator. Unverified claims circulating on social media about multiple attackers or the attacker's background have been rejected by police — do not treat them as fact.
The gunman and the police response
After firing at people in the square, the gunman was confronted by police officers a short distance away, near the intersection of Dietla and Stradomska streets, and was shot and wounded before being detained, police said. He was then transported to a hospital. Police found "many pieces of weapons and ammunition" in his vehicle, Deputy Inspector Katarzyna Cisło told Polish broadcaster TVN24.
Cisło said the suspect was wearing military-style clothing and used a military-type long gun. He was carrying no identification documents, and police said they established his identity through operational work. "The only known perpetrator of the incident is in police custody," Kraków police said on X, adding that they had found no evidence of a second attacker.
Heavily armed police wearing helmets and tactical gear cordoned off the square, video footage from Reuters showed, as sirens sounded and pedestrians moved away from the area. A member of the city guard was seen running through the square as people sought shelter; one witness told reporters they had run into the police station on the square, where people were hiding on the floor.
"I am being kept informed by the interior minister about the situation in Kraków after the tragic shooting. Police are investigating the background and all the circumstances of the attack."
— Prime Minister Donald Tusk, on X
Official response
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X that police were investigating the "tragic shooting" and that he was being updated by the interior ministry. Polish media reported that Tusk was travelling to Kraków on Saturday evening. President Karol Nawrocki said the head of the National Security Bureau was on his way to the city. "My thoughts are with the victims, those injured and their families," he said in a statement.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said on X that two police officers had been wounded by gunfire and that one was in a serious condition. Kraków mayor Łukasz Gibała declared a period of mourning in the city until November 11, and said a crisis management team was operating at city hall.
The shooting took place about 500 metres from an anti-government demonstration being held in the square, according to the opposition-aligned television channel Republika. Police rejected claims circulating online about multiple shooters and their ethnicities, saying there had been only one shooter, who was of Polish origin. No link between the demonstration and the attack has been reported by police.
Context: Poland, like most European Union countries, has strict rules on acquiring firearms, and very few people are allowed to own guns or carry them in public. Mass shootings are rare in the country. Around 15 million tourists visit Kraków each year, most of them passing through the Main Square. The city is due to mark Poland's Independence Day on November 11 — the mourning period declared by the mayor runs until that day.
Timeline of the attack
| Time (local, Sat 7 Nov) | What happened |
|---|---|
| Around 3 p.m. | Reports reach police that a car is firing at random people in the Main Market Square; a tram driver reports his vehicle was shot at nearby |
| Afternoon | Gunman fires from the moving car, killing six people and wounding 15, including two police officers |
| Shortly after | Police confront the gunman near the Dietla and Stradomska streets intersection; he is shot, wounded and detained, then taken to hospital |
| Evening | Police confirm six dead — four women and two men — and say the suspect, a Polish citizen, was the only perpetrator; emergency services remain at the scene |
| Evening | Prime Minister Tusk says he is being updated by the interior ministry; President Nawrocki sends the National Security Bureau chief to Kraków; the mayor declares mourning until November 11 |
Frequently asked questions
What do we know so far?
Six people — four women and two men — were killed and 15 wounded when a gunman fired randomly from a moving car in Kraków's Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon. The suspect, a Polish citizen in military-style clothing with a military-type long gun, was shot by police, detained and taken to hospital. Police say he acted alone.
What is the motive?
It is not known. Police have not disclosed a motive, and have not released the suspect's name. The investigation is continuing, and officials have cautioned against speculation.
Was the shooting connected to the demonstration in the square?
There is no evidence of a link. An anti-government demonstration was taking place about 500 metres away, according to Republika, but police have said only that a single gunman was involved, and have rejected online claims about multiple shooters.
How badly hurt are the injured?
Two police officers are among the wounded, one of them in a very critical condition after sustaining three gunshot wounds. The Week reported that 12 of the injured were in a critical condition. Hospitals have not released a full casualty update.
Is the area safe now?
Police say the only known perpetrator is in custody, and heavily armed officers remain deployed around the square while emergency services work at the scene. The mayor has declared mourning in the city until November 11.
Key takeaways
- Six people were killed — four women and two men — and 15 wounded in a shooting in Kraków's Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon.
- The gunman fired at random from a moving car, wearing military-style clothing and using a military-type long gun, police said.
- The suspect, a Polish citizen, was shot by police and detained near the Dietla and Stradomska streets intersection; he is in hospital.
- Police say he was the only perpetrator and have rejected online claims about multiple attackers; no motive has been established.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk is travelling to Kraków, and the mayor has declared mourning in the city until November 11.
What to watch next
Police are expected to give a further briefing on the investigation, the suspect's condition and whether charges have been filed, and on the identities of the victims once families have been informed. Hospitals will update the condition of the wounded, several of whom are in a critical condition. The city remains in mourning until November 11, when Poland marks Independence Day, and the investigation into the gunman's background and motive is continuing.
