At least five people were killed and more than a dozen injured on Friday when a gunman opened fire on the Main Square in Kraków, Poland's second-largest city. Police confirmed that officers shot the perpetrator, who was taken to hospital, and that emergency services are still working at the scene.
The attack unfolded in the heart of the city's historic centre, near St Mary's Basilica, a UNESCO-listed landmark that draws thousands of tourists daily. Witnesses reported a hail of gunfire as a car passed through the square. A spokesperson for the local fire brigade told Polsat News that the shooter fired from a moving vehicle.
Police cordoned off a wide area around the Main Square and Dietla Street, a major thoroughfare a few blocks away. Numerous patrol cars and ambulances converged on the scene, and an air ambulance helicopter was dispatched. The city office said rescue services were operating in several locations simultaneously.
Political reaction
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was being kept regularly informed by the interior minister. “The police are examining the background and all the circumstances of the attack,” he wrote on social media. The attack comes at a time of heightened political tension in Poland, with Tusk's government locked in a standoff with President Andrzej Duda over judicial appointments. The two leaders have been at odds over the composition of the Constitutional Tribunal, a dispute that has paralysed parts of the judiciary. Tusk has sought face-to-face talks with the president to defuse the crisis, but no breakthrough has been reported.
President Karol Nawrocki, who is not related to the president, expressed deep concern over the “tragic events in central Kraków” and said his thoughts were with the victims and their families. He added that the head of the National Security Bureau was travelling to the city to coordinate the response.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear. Police have not yet identified the gunman or provided details on his condition. Local media reported that the perpetrator was wounded when officers returned fire.
Kraków, a cultural and academic hub in southern Poland, has seen little violent crime of this scale in recent decades. The city is known for its medieval architecture, vibrant Jewish quarter, and as a major tourist destination. Friday's attack is likely to reignite debates about public safety and gun control in Poland, where firearm ownership is relatively restricted but legal for self-defence and sport.
Emergency services urged the public to avoid the city centre while the operation continues. The Main Square, one of the largest medieval town squares in Europe, has been closed to traffic and pedestrians.
This is a developing story. More details will be published as they become available.
