Polish police revealed that the 24-year-old shooting suspect in Krakow has died in hospital after being wounded by police during a gunfight. The incident left six dead, including British and Austrian citizens. Authorities also found the bodies of the suspect's father, mother, and sister at his residence. Officials say the suspect held extremist nationalist and far-right ideologies, and the case is being investigated as terrorism.
Polish police confirmed that the Krakow shooting suspect died in hospital after being injured in a shootout with officers last Saturday (7 Nov). Police posted on the platform X that the attacker died Monday morning after being taken to hospital in critical condition.
The suspect, a 24-year-old Polish man, was influenced by far-right and extremist nationalist views. He opened fire randomly on people in Krakow's Old Town on Saturday before armed police intervened and engaged him in a shootout.
The shooting began just before 3 p.m. local time at the Main Market Square, a popular tourist and public gathering spot. Police said officers wounded the suspect within three minutes of the attack's start, preventing additional fatalities.
The attack resulted in six deaths—four women and two men—including four Poles, one Briton, and one Austrian woman. Sixteen people were hospitalized, including five foreigners, two police officers, and the suspect. The Ministry of the Interior said the injured foreigners came from Austria, the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Russia.
After the incident, Prime Minister Donald Tusk revealed police found three bodies at the suspect's home in Oświęcim Świętokrzyski, about 150 kilometers northeast of Krakow. Police confirmed the deceased were the suspect's family members: his 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister. The bodies showed wounds consistent with gunshot injuries. Authorities also seized seven firearms from the apartment.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński added that police also found firearms inside the suspect's vehicle.
Polish media reported the suspect, identified as Michał O., held a gun license and may have obtained some weapons from his family home. Investigators said he had no prior criminal record and was a member of a shooting club with his father.
During the incident, two police officers were injured while pursuing the suspect, who wore a mask, military-style clothing, and a bulletproof vest. Police said the suspect abandoned his car at an intersection before firing a semi-automatic rifle at officers.
One injured officer is in serious but stable condition. The Ministry of the Interior said blood donations were requested to help the officer, named Jakub Kulik, who was praised for confronting the armed suspect without hesitation.
Social media images showed the two officers exchanging gunfire with the suspect, with one managing to wound the attacker despite also being injured.
Meanwhile, Professor Michał Penjdziat, one of two surgeons who helped the wounded at the scene, said he and colleagues were eating near the Main Market Square when they heard gunshots and rushed to assist both the suspect and the injured officers.
He said they decided to provide immediate aid because no ambulance or medical personnel had yet reached the site.
Penjdziat noted that his colleague, identified locally as Dr. Mateusz Wierdak, applied manual pressure to stop bleeding on the most seriously injured officer until the ambulance arrived. He believes their intervention was vital in saving the officer’s life. Reports on Sunday confirmed both officers had emerged from coma.
Following the attack, Main Market Square was cordoned off with red-and-white tape for investigation. Authorities lifted the restrictions and reopened the area Sunday evening.
Locals laid candles in tribute while police searched the bags of café and restaurant workers nearby. Most souvenir shops remained closed. The Polish government declared two days of national mourning starting Sunday, lowering flags to half-staff and tying black ribbons to flags in many city locations to honor the victims.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk, visiting Krakow, said Poland had never before faced such a severe terrorist attack, calling the brutal assault on civilians an act of terrorism.
The Polish National Prosecutor’s Office announced on social media that it has launched an investigation into the attack, focusing on the murder of six people by firearm and attempted murders of others, including police officers, under terrorism charges.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the shooting and expressed deep condolences to the victims’ families, the Polish government, and its people.
The incident shocked Krakow residents, who consider their city very safe. Veronica Pilar, 27, a Krakow resident, said she never imagined such an event could happen and that her city will never be the same again.