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The death toll from the shooting in central Krakow stood at six by Saturday evening, with four women and two men among the fatalities, the Malopolska regional government reported. At least 15 people sustained injuries, including two police officers with one remaining in critical condition after suffering three gunshot wounds during the confrontation, according to Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski. The regional governor’s office added that all injured individuals were receiving treatment at local hospitals as emergency services converged on the UNESCO World Heritage site, which draws large numbers of tourists and residents daily.
Małopolska police detailed how the attacker drove a black Subaru onto the square from Slawkowska Street shortly after 3pm local time and fired indiscriminately at random people. The suspect, identified as Michał O. from the Świętokrzyskie province through operational work after he carried no identification, wore military-style clothing and used a long military-type firearm believed to resemble an AR-15 rifle, police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cislo told TVN24. Officers shot the man near the intersection of Dietla and Stradomska streets as he tried to escape toward the Kazimierz district, with the sole known perpetrator transported to hospital where he underwent surgery and remains in stable condition under guard.
Investigators discovered a large quantity of additional firearms and ammunition inside the vehicle registered to the suspect’s 52-year-old father, who legally owns 11 guns, Onet reported citing police sources. Neither the father nor the son had prior criminal records, Małopolska regional police stated while confirming the attacker was a Polish national and refuting social media claims of a second perpetrator at large or the death of an officer. Prosecutors from the Krakow district office indicated they had yet to finalise the legal classification of the incident or rule out any accomplices, as the inquiry examines the suspect’s background including any military links or psychiatric history.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who traveled to Krakow after the attack, said police were investigating the background and all circumstances of what he termed a tragic shooting. President Karol Nawrocki offered his thoughts to the victims’ families and declared that the safety of Poles is an absolute priority, the Guardian reported. No details have been released on the nationalities of those killed or wounded, though the busy tourist location suggests a mix of locals and visitors may have been affected.
The event occurs against a backdrop of rising legal firearm ownership in Poland, which surpassed one million registered guns for the first time with a record 50,700 permits issued in 2025, Euronews reported based on police statistics. The country had been on heightened alert following multiple stabbings in October, AFP noted in its coverage. Authorities have not identified a motive or established any terrorist connection so far, though outlets including Wirtualna Polska and Notes From Poland said the probe continues to assess possible extremist ties or other factors.
Eyewitness reports described scenes of panic as pedestrians fled into nearby cafes, restaurants and building entrances when gunfire erupted across the square and nearby streets. Videos circulating from the scene captured the initial shots and the rapid police response, with ambulances and patrol cars filling the historic center as the area was cordoned off. The archbishop of Krakow scheduled a special mass for Sunday afternoon at the Basilica of the Virgin Mary as a Christian stand against hatred and violence, according to local broadcaster TVN24.
