Polish police officer critical after far-right shooter kills 6 in Kraków

Six people died and 16 others were injured when a gunman opened fire in Kraków’s main market square on Saturday. The attack, which occurred around midday, is the deadliest shooting incident in Poland in decades. Two police officers who confronted the suspect are in serious condition, with one in a coma and the other having emerged from a coma by Sunday.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński identified the suspect as a Polish man in his mid-20s from the town of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie, located about 93 miles northeast of Kraków. Kierwiński stated that the suspect used an automatic rifle and held “ultranationalistic” views. He added that evidence indicates the man was fascinated by far-right ideologies.

Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced on Sunday that the suspect is being investigated for murder related to the six deaths in Kraków. Żurek described the act as a terrorist offense, noting that the suspect aimed to seriously intimidate a large number of people. The suspect also faces a separate murder charge for the deaths of three relatives found in his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie.

Police National Headquarters deputy inspector Andrzej Fijołek said the three people found dead in the apartment are believed to be the suspect’s parents and sister. The suspect was shot by police at the scene in Kraków and transported to a hospital around 3 p.m. local time. Regional governor Krzysztof Klęczar confirmed the suspect remains in critical condition.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk paid tribute to the officers who responded, calling Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Moranski “true heroes.” Żurek provided details on Kulik’s condition, stating on social media that the officer is fighting for his life, that one lung is not functioning, and that he requires blood transfusions. Klęczar noted that without the officers’ intervention, the number of victims could have been higher.

The Interior Ministry announced two national days of mourning for November 8 and 9. Of the six killed in the market square, four have been identified. Klęczar said the victims include four Polish nationals, one British national, and one non-Polish woman whose nationality has not been released. All 16 people injured in the shooting were alive as of Sunday, including two police officers. Eleven of the injured are Polish citizens.

Tourists were among those caught in the crossfire. Taylor Dorfmeister, a 21-year-old American student from Santa Cruz, California, was visiting with his roommate when the gunfire started. Dorfmeister described running into a building where they hid in a dead end, hearing the shots coming from the first floor. He said he was fully prepared for the worst due to the proximity of the noise.

Marie-Ange Collaer, a visitor from Brussels, wrote on Facebook that she and her family ran for their lives and hid in a shop. She described lying on the floor while hearing bullets fly, comparing the experience to a bad police movie. Collaer said her family was in shock after returning to their hotel but was grateful to be alive. She noted that they saw several people who did not survive the attack.

Neil Thaxton and his wife Nicky, residents of the U.K., also survived. Thaxton wrote on Facebook that they initially thought the sounds were fireworks until people began running. They took shelter in a gift shop where staff locked the doors and turned off the lights. The U.S. State Department said it was not aware of any American citizens harmed in the violence.

Part of the main market square and surrounding streets reopened on Sunday, though police cordons remain in place for forensic work. World leaders offered condolences, with U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stating the government deeply mourns the victims. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the shooting a shocking crime and expressed solidarity with Poland. U.S. Ambassador Tom Rose described the incident as a profound shock for a country where such violence is foreign to everyday life.