Police wounded and arrested the suspected attacker after gunfire erupted in the heart of the Polish city’s historic tourist district.
KRAKOW, Poland — A gunman killed six people and wounded at least 15 others Saturday after opening fire at multiple locations around Krakow’s busy Main Square, Polish authorities said. Police confronted and wounded the suspected attacker before taking him into custody.
The Nov. 7 attack struck the historic center of Poland’s second-largest city and one of the country’s most visited tourist destinations. Authorities said four women and two men were killed. Officials also reported that two police officers were among the wounded. Reuters reported 17 wounded when the suspect was included in the count, while The Associated Press reported 15 injured in the attack before police wounded the gunman.
Police said the attacker drove through the square and fired at people at several locations. Authorities said he appeared to have acted alone. Officers confronted him within minutes of receiving the first reports of gunfire, and the suspect continued firing during the confrontation before police shot and detained him. He was later hospitalized and underwent surgery.
Authorities had not publicly released the suspect’s name by early Sunday. Reuters, citing police, described him as a 24-year-old Polish citizen, while The Associated Press reported his age as 25. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said investigators were examining evidence that the man held radical ultranationalist and far-right views. Authorities had not announced a final determination of motive.
Police said the attacker wore military-style clothing and protective gear. Investigators recovered additional weapons and ammunition from his vehicle. Officials were also examining the legality and origin of the weapons connected to the attack. Police said the suspect held a firearms license, according to Reuters.
One of the people killed was a British citizen, authorities said. Officials said foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain were among those injured. Several victims remained hospitalized, and authorities said two wounded police officers underwent surgery. Officials continued working to identify some of those killed and notify relatives.
The investigation expanded beyond Krakow after authorities found three people dead at the suspect’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, northeast of Krakow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the victims appeared to be members of the suspect’s immediate family. Authorities had not publicly established the circumstances of those deaths or formally linked them to the Krakow shooting by early Sunday.
Poland’s Internal Security Agency and Military Counterintelligence Service joined the investigation. Officials searched the suspect’s home amid concerns that additional weapons could be inside. Authorities were examining his background, weapons, communications and possible ideological influences as they worked to establish what led to the attack.
The shooting prompted heightened security and mourning measures in Poland. President Karol Nawrocki announced national mourning for Nov. 8 and 9, while Krakow Mayor Łukasz Gibała said the city would observe mourning through Wednesday. Warsaw authorities also increased security in parts of the capital following the attack.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland, making the scale of the Krakow attack particularly unusual for the country. The investigation remained active Sunday, with the suspected gunman in custody and authorities continuing to examine the deaths at his home, his weapons and whether anyone else had prior knowledge of his plans.
Author note: Last updated November 8, 2026.