Poland is in shock after a Saturday afternoon attack in the heart of Kraków left five people dead. Around 3pm local time a man steered a car into the Rynek Główny, the vast medieval square at the centre of the old town, and started shooting at passers-by from inside the vehicle, according to regional police in Małopolska.
More than a dozen others were hurt, two police officers among them. Polish outlets say the attacker carried a military-style long gun. Officers caught up with him in Dietla and Stradomska streets near the square, wounded him and took him into custody; he was then taken to hospital.
By early evening investigators had released neither his name nor any motive. City hall urged residents and tourists to stay away, the square was sealed off, and prosecutors joined forensic teams at the scene.
Leaders moved quickly. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the shooting as “tragic” and said he was receiving constant updates; Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński set off for Kraków himself. President Karol Nawrocki said he was “deeply concerned” and dispatched the head of the National Security Bureau. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek promised a severe reckoning for the perpetrator and appealed for calm so emergency crews could work.
Condolences also came from abroad. Tom Rose, Washington’s ambassador to Poland, called it a “savage and murderous attack” and pledged American solidarity.
The market square, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the busiest public spaces in Central Europe on a weekend. Mass shootings are rare in Poland, where gun ownership is tightly regulated, which makes Saturday’s bloodshed all the more jarring for the country.
