Poland starts 2 days of mourning over 6 Krakow deaths

Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday after a Krakow shooting left six dead and 16 wounded on Saturday, Euronews reported in a Nov. 8 news article.

The case widened beyond the attack site after police said three further bodies were found at the suspect’s home, compared with the six deaths reported in Main Market Square.

The shooting occurred at about 3 p.m. on Saturday in one of Krakow’s best-known tourist areas. Euronews reported that a masked man in military-style clothing drove into the square by car and began firing as people tried to take cover.

Police exchanged fire with the suspect, described as a 24-year-old Polish citizen, before he was wounded, detained and taken to hospital. Officers checked his vehicle for explosives while nearby residents were evacuated and the square and adjacent streets were closed.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the gunman appeared to hold “very radical views” and was “fascinated by far-right ideologies.” Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the shooting as an act of “terrorism.”

Kierwiński also praised the police response after two officers were injured. “The police officers acted heroically today. They fulfilled their duty to the public and their country in an exemplary manner.”

Tusk named the officers who detained the suspect as senior constable Jakub Kulik and senior constable Artur Morański. “Their condition is serious, but they are receiving excellent care. The whole of Poland is keeping its fingers crossed for you,” he said.

Police said the suspect had no previous convictions and was not on police records. They said he held a firearms licence and likely used one of the weapons covered by that licence. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz denied reports that the suspect had served in the Polish armed forces, saying he “has never had anything to do with the military.”

Police information cited by Euronews said the suspect carried a semi-automatic firearm resembling an AR-15-style rifle and also had a pistol. Officers secured a large quantity of other weapons and ammunition from his car.

Among the six people killed in the square were four women and two men. One victim was identified as a British citizen. Euronews reported that a Portuguese national and a Russian national were also reported injured.

Authorities later disclosed the discovery of three bodies at the suspect’s home. Tusk said there was “much to suggest that they are members of the (suspect’s) immediate family,” and police later identified them as the suspect’s 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother and 20-year-old sister. The report said the victims reportedly had gunshot wounds.

The national mourning period began at midnight on Sunday. Flags were lowered to half-mast, websites added black ribbons or muted colours, broadcasters adjusted programming and entertainment events were cancelled.

Source: news article, Euronews, Nov. 8, 2026