Suspect in Kraków shooting dies in hospital, Polish police say
The 24-year-old suspected of killing six people in Kraków’s main square died early on Monday as authorities continued a terrorism investigation into the attack.
By Olga Menon ·
A man suspected of killing six people and injuring 17 in a shooting in Kraków’s main market square has died in hospital, Polish police announced early on Monday, November 9. The 24-year-old had been critically wounded during an exchange of gunfire with officers following Saturday afternoon’s attack.
Local media identified the suspect as Michal O. Malopolska Policja confirmed his death in a statement posted on X. Authorities have said he was probably influenced by far-right ideologies, and prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation into the shooting, which killed a Briton among the six victims.
The attack began at about 3pm on Saturday when the suspect drove at high speed into the main square in Kraków’s old town, an area normally crowded with tourists. Dressed in military-style clothing and wearing a bulletproof vest, he fired indiscriminately while driving around the square, according to the account given by police spokesperson Katarzyna Cisło.
Among those injured were five foreign nationals from Britain, Austria, Germany, Portugal and Russia. Two police officers were also wounded, with one reported to be in serious condition. The shooting shocked Poland, which had been regarded as safer than many neighbouring European countries and where mass shootings are rare.
Police said on Sunday that three people discovered dead at the suspect’s home after the shooting were members of his family. They identified them as his 53-year-old father, his 52-year-old mother and his 21-year-old sister.
As Poland began two days of national mourning, the national prosecutor’s office announced that its investigation covered the fatal shooting of six people and the attempted murder of numerous others, including officers. In its social media statement, the office classified the act as a terrorist offence.
Speaking to TOK FM radio on Monday, interior ministry spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said specialists were examining emblems and patches on the suspect’s clothing. Some had already been partly assessed and interpreted, but she declined to provide further details while investigators continued their work. Interior minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect had a fascination with far-right ideologies and held “very radical” and “ultra-nationalistic” views.
The killings have intensified concerns about extremism in Poland following several school stabbings in October that left one woman dead. Officials said those incidents were connected to extremist material online.
