Six Killed as Gunman Opens Fire in Kraków’s Main Market Square

A gunman drove into Kraków’s Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon and opened fire at random from his car, killing six people and wounding at least 15 before police shot and arrested him, Polish authorities said.

The shooting began at about 3 p.m. local time in the historic centre of Poland’s second-largest city. Police said the attacker entered the square, known in Polish as Rynek Główny, from Sławkowska Street, fired at people from his vehicle, circled the square and then fled. Officers caught up with him within minutes and opened fire after he shot back. The suspect was wounded and taken to hospital, where he remains in custody.

Four women and two men were killed, according to Małopolska Police and the regional governor. The Associated Press reported that one of the six people killed was a British citizen. At least 15 people were wounded, including two police officers; a later Associated Press update put the number of injured at 16. Some reports counted the wounded suspect among those hurt, which accounts for the difference in the figures.

A lone attacker, police say

Kraków police said the suspect is a 24-year-old Polish citizen from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a town in south-eastern Poland, and that he acted alone. Police said he has no criminal record and holds a firearms licence. Officers found additional firearms and a large quantity of ammunition in his car.

The attacker was wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest, Kraków police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło told broadcaster TVN24. National police spokesman Insp. Andrzej Fijołek said he used a civilian version of the AR-15, a semi-automatic rifle based on a military carbine design.

Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the suspect never served in the Polish Armed Forces. Police said there was no continuing danger to the public and rejected reports circulating on social media that another attacker was at large.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled to Kraków after the shooting, a government spokesman said. Tusk posted that police were investigating the attack, and he named the two wounded officers as Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Morański.

Radical views under investigation

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said at a press conference in Kraków that the gunman appeared fascinated by far-right ideology and held “very, very radical views” — though he stressed that this would have to be verified. Authorities have not formally designated the attack as terrorism, and investigators have not announced a final motive.

Reuters reported that the attacker fired randomly from a car and was likely influenced by far-right ideology. Police and prosecutors said the investigation would examine the suspect’s weapons, communications and movements, and counterterrorism teams were sent to his home town.

The square, one of the largest medieval squares in Europe, is ringed by café terraces and overlooked by the twin brick towers of St Mary’s Basilica. It is one of Poland’s best-known tourist destinations and was busy with residents and visitors on a Saturday afternoon. A tram driver reported that his vehicle was shot at as it passed near the square, according to Kraków’s municipal transport company.

A rare attack in a quiet city

Mass shootings are rare in Poland, where gun ownership is tightly controlled and most firearms are held for hunting or sport. The attack has shaken a country that has seen little of the mass gun violence familiar in the United States, where violent crime fell sharply in 2025, according to the Justice Department’s latest survey.

Poland’s police said the first patrol reached the scene 23 seconds after the first call, and officers were firing at the attacker within three minutes. The national police chief said 30 crews were sent to back them up.

The death toll rose through the evening as hospitals updated authorities. Police first reported five dead, then raised the figure to six. The victims’ names had not been officially released by Saturday night, and the condition of the wounded had not been fully disclosed.

The investigation continues, and officials said further details would be released as they are confirmed.