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Five people were killed and more than a dozen injured when a gunman in a car fired at random people in Krakow’s Main Market Square, a major tourist destination, Polish police said. The attacker was shot and wounded by officers and taken to a hospital.
Police began receiving reports at about 3 p.m. (1400 GMT) that someone in a car was shooting at people entering the square, a police spokesperson told reporters. A spokesperson for the local firefighters told Polsat News the attacker fired from a passing car. An Air Rescue helicopter landed at the scene.
No motive has been announced.
The police spokesperson said the man was wearing military-style attire. During his arrest, officers used their weapons, but he returned fire, and two police officers are among the injured, the spokesperson said. In a statement on X, police said the perpetrator was shot by officers and was being transported to a hospital.
Małopolska regional police told broadcaster TVN24 that the attacker wore “military style” clothing and used “military type firearms.” Additional weapons were secured in his car, they said.
Regional police said the attacker is Polish, rebuffing claims circulating on social media. They also denied reports that a second perpetrator was at large. Police said the incident had been contained and that there were no other suspects.
The city’s municipal government first confirmed the shooting in the square in a post on X.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was being kept informed by the interior minister and that police were investigating the background and “all the circumstances” of the attack.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said “all the circumstances and motives behind this incident will be thoroughly investigated.” He added that he was in contact with the interior minister, the regional governor and emergency services, and he offered condolences to the victims’ families.
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek appealed for calm and asked the public not to interfere with emergency crews. Prosecutors, police and other services were securing evidence at the scene, he said. “We will ensure that the perpetrator of this crime is held fully accountable and severely punished,” Żurek said.
US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose called the shooting a “savage and murderous attack that’s shattered the peace of Poland” and said the United States stands with Poland.
Krakow is Poland’s second-largest city, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Warsaw. Its Main Market Square is among the largest medieval town squares in Europe and the centerpiece of a historic old town on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
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