OMM Newsroom
Two days of national mourning began in Poland on Sunday, November 8. Police have tightened security measures following a mass shooting in Krakow that left six people dead. The government said the attack may have been motivated by far-right ideology.
The attack on Saturday in the city’s historic main square has heightened public concern in Poland, AnewZ reports. Several knife attacks were recorded at schools in the country in October, and officials linked those incidents to extremist content online.
According to local authorities, 16 people were injured in the attack. They included two police officers and the 24-year-old suspect, whose condition in hospital is critical. He is a Polish citizen.
Krakow’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracts tourists from around the world. Several foreign nationals were among the victims. One of those killed was identified as a British citizen. Five people from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain were among the injured.
Three bodies and weapons found at suspect’s home
In Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, the suspect’s hometown about 200 kilometers north of Krakow, police found the bodies of his parents and sister at his home.
Daniel Prokopowicz, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, said it was “highly likely” that the killings in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and Krakow were carried out by the same person, but the investigation is continuing.
Prokopowicz said the bodies had gunshot wounds. Police seized seven firearms and a “significant” quantity of ammunition from the home.
He also said: “Together with those found elsewhere in Krakow, this brings the total number of firearms to 11. This figure is consistent with our records on the number of firearms permits issued both to the perpetrator and his father.”
Streets closed in central Krakow
The main market square and surrounding streets in Krakow’s Old Town remained closed. Police allowed only essential personnel into the area. Many nearby cafes were not operating, and flags above the town hall were lowered to half-mast. People lit candles at several locations in the area.
The traditional hourly trumpet call from St. Mary’s Basilica in the square was suspended for 12 hours in memory of the victims. State news agency PAP reported that this was the first such suspension since 1939.
In the capital, Warsaw, police said on Saturday that security had been increased in areas popular with tourists. Barriers were set up on roads leading to Krakowskie Przedmieście Street in the historic center.
On Sunday, Krakow residents and tourists said the incident had shaken them. City resident Witold Słowikowski said: “This is horrifying to me. That something like this could happen in Poland… Because nothing like this has happened in Poland before. I think a new era may be beginning in my country.”
Maria, 20, who works at a cafe in Warsaw, said she “almost cried” when she heard about the shooting. “Recent events—not just this one, but what has happened lately as well—are really affecting our sense of security,” she said.
In an editorial, the daily Rzeczpospolita wrote that the shooting “put a brutal end to the era when Poland was considered a safe haven.”
Officials and members of the public also praised the actions of the police officers who detained the suspect after the close-range shooting. Police issued an urgent appeal for blood donations for one of the injured officers, who was said to be “fighting for his life” in hospital.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on the X platform on Saturday: “Chief Warrant Officer Jakub Kulik and Chief Warrant Officer Artur Moranski are true heroes. By putting their own lives at risk, they likely saved the lives of many people.”
