After Krakow mass shooting, Poland assailant dies in hospital, police report
Attack in Krakow’s Old Town
The gunfire erupted Saturday in Main Square, a major tourist hub in the heart of Krakow’s Old Town. Six people were killed and 15 wounded. The dead were four women and two men. Authorities said three women and one man were Polish; a man from the U.K. and a woman from Austria were also killed. Five wounded foreigners came from the U.K., Portugal, Russia, Germany and Austria.
Assailant dies Monday
Police said the 24-year-old assailant died in hospital Monday morning. Poland’s defense minister described the attack as an “act of terror.” The bodies of the man’s sister, mother and father were found at his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 93 miles northeast of Krakow. Authorities said they likely died from gunshot wounds.
Residents respond to the violence
Malopolska regional governor Krzysztof Jan Klęczar praised two young men who intervened. He said their “efficient and selfless intervention” may have prevented more casualties. Krakow resident Maciej Sikorski told The Associated Press he went to the square to avoid falling into fear and anxiety. Resident Weronika Filar told Agence France-Presse she was devastated, while part-time city guide Krzysztof Stepien said similar incidents had happened elsewhere in Europe.
Key points
- The assailant died in hospital Monday morning, police said.
- Six people were killed and 15 wounded in Krakow’s Main Square on Saturday.
- The victims included people from Poland, the U.K. and Austria.
- Authorities said the assailant’s sister, mother and father were found dead at his home.