Crime: Five dead and more than ten injured in shooting in Krakow

Shots were fired from a car in the center of the Polish city of Krakow (Krakow). Five people were killed, the police in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship near X said. There were at least ten injured, a fire brigade spokesman told the PAP news agency. Two police officers were among the injured. The alleged perpetrator was arrested.

The shots on the Great Square, the main square of the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, were fired from a moving car, the Polsat News channel reported, citing emergency services. The authorities initially appealed to people in the surrounding area to go to a safe place.

Initially nothing was known about the background. Videos on social media showed that a rescue helicopter landed on the site. “Around 3 p.m., a man who had driven a car into the market square began shooting at random people from the vehicle,” the police said on Platform X. She confirmed that the alleged perpetrator had been arrested.

Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he would be kept informed about the situation in Krakow after the "tragic shooting." “The police are investigating the background and all circumstances of the incident,” wrote the liberal-conservative politician on X.

With more than 800,000 inhabitants, Krakow is the second largest city in Poland. It is considered a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. In addition to the Great Square, important sights include the castle on Wawel Hill and the cathedral. The university town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.