KRAKOW, Poland: A man drove onto the Main Market Square in Krakow on Saturday afternoon and opened fire at random people from his car, killing six people and injuring 15 others, Małopolska Police and the regional governor said. Police shot and detained the suspect after a chase, officials said.
The shooting began at about 3:03 p.m. local time on Nov. 7, 2026, according to Krakow prosecutor Tomasz Waszczuk. The gunman entered the square, known as Rynek Główny, from Sławkowska Street, fired at random people, circled the square and then fled, Waszczuk said.
Four women and two men were killed, Małopolska Police and the regional governor said. Fifteen people were injured. The toll rose from five earlier in the evening, and officials updated the number to six.
Police officers are among the wounded, officials said. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said two officers were wounded by gunfire. One officer was shot three times, is in very serious condition and was undergoing surgery, Kierwiński said. Police have denied reports that any officer died.
The suspect is a 24-year-old Polish citizen from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, police said. Waszczuk confirmed the man’s age and citizenship. Police said officers shot and detained him after a chase, and he is in hospital under guard. Police said he has no criminal record. Police have not named him.
Krakow police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cisło told TVN24 that the gunman wore military-style fatigues and used a military-type long gun. National Police spokesman Insp. Andrzej Fijołek said it was a civilian version of the AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. Police said they found more weapons and ammunition in his car. Polish media report he held firearms permits.
Kierwiński said everything indicates the gunman acted alone and held very radical views. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz confirmed the suspect never served in the Polish Armed Forces, officials said. Authorities have not established a motive, and they have not formally designated the attack as terrorism.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk posted that police are investigating the attack. Krakow Mayor Łukasz Gibała declared a period of mourning in the city until November 11, officials said.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland, according to The Associated Press.
