Poland: Krakow Attack Was a 'Terrorist Act'

Polish police spokesperson Andrzej Wieliński said yesterday that the three people found dead in the gunman’s home were his parents and sister. The bodies were discovered during a security operation carried out by police on Saturday evening at the residence of the 24-year-old gunman in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a town about a two-hour drive northeast of Krakow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk had earlier indicated that the victims were likely the gunman’s immediate family members.

On Saturday, the man drove his car into the crowded market square in Krakow and opened fire randomly on pedestrians, killing six people and injuring 16 others, some of whom were in serious or critical condition. The motive for the attack remains unclear, but Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said initial findings suggest the suspect held “extremely extreme views.”

Images of blood and scattered bodies in the historic heart of one of Poland’s top tourist destinations shocked a country that has long considered itself safer than other European nations that have previously experienced such attacks. The unprecedented scale of the mass shooting adds to growing anxiety following a series of school stabbings in October, which authorities said were influenced by violent and extremist online content.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the incident as a “terrorist act,” noting that the perpetrator was fascinated by far-right ideologies. Speaking to journalists in Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city, Tusk said, “We have not yet seen such serious cases of terrorism in Poland,” adding, “This is the description we must apply to this brutal attack that targeted people’s lives here in Krakow.”

Polish authorities said the victims of the downtown attack were four women and two men, and that 17 people were injured, including two police officers and the attacker himself. Police identified one of the deceased as a British national. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said five foreigners among the injured were from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

The gunman, who underwent several surgeries, is in a stable but critically serious condition. A local police spokesperson said the shooter was dressed in military-style clothing and used military weapons. Police also found a large number of weapons and ammunition in his car.