The death toll from the armed attack in Krakow has risen further. After the shooting in the city’s main square, where six people were killed, Polish authorities announced the discovery of three more bodies at the home of the 25-year-old suspected gunman, bringing the total number of victims to nine.
Three more victims found away from the attack scene
Two women and a man were found dead at the young man’s home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 200 kilometers from Krakow. Polish media have reported that they may be his parents and sister, but that identification has not been officially confirmed.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also said the victims may be members of the suspect’s immediate family. That has immediately broadened the gravity of the case beyond the attack in the square, as investigators try to understand the link between the two crime scenes.
How the attack unfolded in central Krakow
The incident happened shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, in Rynek Główny, one of Krakow’s busiest areas. According to the police account, the 25-year-old arrived by vehicle and opened fire on passersby from inside the car.
Footage published on social media shows scenes of panic, with people running away as repeated gunshots are heard. Bullets also struck a moving tram, shattering windows but causing no injuries among passengers. Damage was also reported at several shops near the square.
Victims and injured
Six people were killed in the square attack, four women and two men. According to official information, three of the victims are Polish nationals and one is a British national, while the identities of the other two had not yet been made public in the latest updates.
Sixteen people were taken to hospital, including five foreign nationals, two police officers and the suspect himself. According to the Polish Interior Ministry, the injured foreigners are from Austria, the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Russia.
Police response and questions over motive
Police say they intervened within minutes and arrested the 25-year-old after an exchange of gunfire. The suspect was wounded, underwent surgery and is being held in hospital under guard. During the operation, two officers were also injured; one of them, according to the authorities, is in an extremely critical condition.
Additional weapons and ammunition were found in the suspect’s vehicle. According to police, he was dressed in military clothing and carried a military-style weapon, although he had not served in the army. The Polish interior minister has spoken of possible signs of influence from far-right ideologies, but so far no concrete evidence has been presented linking the young man to any structured extremist organization.
Political reactions and security measures
After the attack, the area was cordoned off by police and checks were also carried out for any explosive risk near the vehicle used by the suspected attacker. According to the authorities, no explosives were found, but residents of surrounding buildings were temporarily evacuated.
Donald Tusk described the incident as an unprecedented terrorist act for Poland. Mourning was declared in Krakow until November 11, while two days of national mourning were declared nationwide. The attack has also prompted international reaction, especially after the confirmation of the death of a British national.
The investigation remains open on several fronts at once: the circumstances of the deaths of the three people at the suspect’s home, the origin of the weapons and the motive for the attack.
Beyond the political statements and the strong initial characterizations, many of the key elements of this incident remain officially unconfirmed.