Minister says Polish gunman who killed 6 people in Krakow held ultranationalistic views

Attack in the Main Square

The gunman drove into Krakow’s Main Square on Saturday afternoon and fired at random people, police said. Four women and two men were killed, and 15 people were wounded.

The death toll was initially reported as five before police raised it to six in a post on X. Two police officers were among the wounded; Poland’s interior minister said one was seriously hurt.

Police describe weapons and pursuit

Cisło said the gunman moved around the square in what she called a “wild ride,” leading to injuries at several locations. He continued shooting at officers after they wounded him, she said. Police took him to hospital for surgery.

Questions about firearms

Authorities had not established whether the weapon used in the attack, or the guns found in the car, were legal. About 411,000 people in Poland hold gun permits; the country has a population of 37 million, and interest in gun ownership has been rising.

Reactions and scene

Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised the officers who responded in a post on X. President Karol Nawrocki said his thoughts were with victims, wounded people and their families.

A tram driver reported around 3 p.m. that a man in a moving car had shot at the vehicle near the Main Square, Krakow’s municipal transport company said. The driver’s cabin window shattered. Police and ambulances covered the square, where a Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter also landed.