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Six people were killed and 16 were injured after a shooting in Krakow’s Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon, in what Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an act of “terrorism.”
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Here’s what we know about the attack.
The shooting took place at around 3 p.m. after a masked man in military clothing drove a car onto the popular tourist square and opened fire as people fled and sought shelter in nearby buildings.
After an exchange of fire with police, the suspect – a 24-year-old Polish citizen – was wounded, detained and taken to hospital, while his vehicle was checked for explosives.
Residents of nearby buildings were evacuated as the operation took place. The Main Market Square and adjoining streets were also closed.
The suspect
The suspect is said to be a resident of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in southeastern Poland.
He had no previous convictions and was not on police records. He held a firearms licence and likely fired shots from one of the weapons covered by that licence, per police.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the gunman appeared to hold “very radical views” and was “fascinated by far-right ideologies.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz has denied reports that the suspect was a soldier in the Polish armed forces, saying he “has never had anything to do with the military.”
Victims
Six people were killed in the shooting in Krakow, and a total of 16 people were injured, including two police officers and the suspect. One of the officers is in a serious condition.
Among those killed in the attack were four women and two men. One has been identified as a British citizen.
A Portuguese national and a Russian national are also reported to have been injured in the attack.
On Saturday evening, authorities announced that a further three bodies – two women and a man – had been discovered at the suspect’s home. Tusk said there was “much to suggest that they are members of the (suspect’s) immediate family.”
Police later confirmed that the bodies of the perpetrator’s 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother and 20-year-old sister had been found at the home. The victims reportedly had gunshot wounds.
The interior minister also gave details about the injured officers. One officer was shot. The condition of the other is described as extremely serious, with the man having suffered three gunshot wounds.
“The police officers acted heroically today. They fulfilled their duty to the public and their country in an exemplary manner. One of them is fighting for his life. Another has been injured. I appeal to everyone to show respect for their sacrifice. To show respect for those in uniform,” Kierwiński wrote on X.
Tusk named the officers who detained the suspect as senior constable Jakub Kulik and senior constable Artur Morański, calling them “true heroes.”
“Their condition is serious, but they are receiving excellent care. The whole of Poland is keeping its fingers crossed for you,” he said.
Weapons
According to police information, the suspect carried a semi-automatic gun similar in design to an AR-15 rifle. Photos from the scene also show an optical sight. The man also had a pistol.
Police secured a large number of other weapons and ammunition in his car.
National mourning declared
A two-day period of national mourning began at midnight on Sunday, with national flags flown at half-mast.
Websites are displaying black ribbons next to their logos and switching to subdued colours, while radio and television stations are altering their schedules. Entertainment events have also been cancelled.
Additional sources • AFP
