Shooting in Poland: Three bodies at his home, “fascinated by the far right”… What we know about the shooter

An investigation was opened after the shooting that occurred this Saturday on the market square in Krakow, Poland's tourist showcase. Six people were killed and fifteen others injured. The shooter, a 24-year-old Pole, was arrested and hospitalized. Three other bodies were discovered at his home. 20 Minutes takes stock of the situation.

What happened?

The events occurred around 3 p.m. this Saturday. A man drove into the market square, in the heart of the old town, which is very busy on weekends, and started shooting “at random”, according to a police spokesperson. Four women and two men were killed, including a British national. Fifteen injured were hospitalized, according to the Polish Interior Minister.

“I saw a dead person, who was no longer moving, and several people lying a little further away, whom others were still trying to resuscitate,” said Daniel Wolny, a 32-year-old musician present on site. Saturday evening, the neighborhood remained completely cordoned off.

What do we know about the shooter?

The shooter is a 24-year-old Pole. He was injured during his arrest and hospitalized. Images circulating on social media show a police officer shooting several times and at close range at a man in military uniform, masked and helmeted, armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. More weapons and a large quantity of ammunition were found in his car, Katarzyna Cislo of the Krakow police told TVN24.

At the suspect's home, the police discovered three bodies, two women and a man, probably his parents and his sister. According to the Minister of the Interior, Marcin Kierwinski, “everything suggests that he had very, very radical opinions”. Everything indicates that he was fascinated by far-right ideologies. Although this will still have to be verified,” he added.

How is Poland reacting?

Donald Tusk said at a press conference in Krakow: “In Poland, we have not experienced such radical cases of terrorism, because that is what this atrocious attack should be called. » Fatal shootings are rare in this country of 38 million inhabitants, a member of the EU and NATO. The tragedy sparked numerous international reactions. The head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, deplored a “tragedy” whose repercussions “will be felt well beyond Poland’s borders”.

The country was on high alert after a series of knife attacks in October, which Donald Tusk denounced as part of a “cult of violence” fueled by social networks. Poland is also experiencing a sharp increase in the number of weapons possession permits: more than 50,000 new permits were granted in 2026, bringing their number to 411,000, according to the police.