The death toll from a deadly shooting in Kraków, southern Poland, has risen after police discovered three additional bodies at the home of the suspected gunman, bringing the total number of people killed to nine.
The attack occurred on Saturday afternoon, November 7, when a 25-year-old Polish man reportedly drove into the city’s main market square and opened fire on unsuspecting people. Six people, comprising four women and two men, were killed, while 16 others sustained injuries.
According to Polish police, the suspect was dressed in military-style clothing and used weapons described as military-grade during the attack. Officers eventually shot and wounded him before taking him to hospital, where he remains in a critical but stable condition.
The investigation took another disturbing turn when officers searching his residence in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 120 miles from Kraków, discovered the bodies of two women and a man. Prime Minister Donald Tusk later disclosed that there were strong indications the deceased were members of the suspect’s immediate family.
Authorities have yet to establish what prompted the killings. However, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said preliminary findings suggested that the suspect had been influenced by far-right ideology and held extremely radical views.
Two police officers were also wounded while responding to the incident. Both underwent surgery, although one reportedly suffered severe injuries, including a damaged lung. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek appealed to members of the public to donate AB-positive blood to help the critically injured officer.
Among those injured in the shooting were five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and the United Kingdom, according to the Interior Ministry.
The suspect reportedly fired at two horses pulling tourist carriages in the city centre. Both animals survived the incident and received veterinary treatment. A tram was also struck by a bullet, shattering its driver’s window, although nobody aboard was injured.
Polish authorities have ruled out claims that the suspect was a serving or former member of the country’s armed forces. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that the 25-year-old had never served in the Polish military.
Following the tragedy, Kraków Mayor Łukasz Gibała announced a period of mourning in the city until November 11. President Karol Nawrocki and other European leaders also expressed condolences to the victims’ families, while Prime Minister Tusk praised the police officers who confronted the attacker, saying their intervention likely prevented further loss of life.
