Poland shooting: PM reveals 3 bodies at suspect’s home; min flags far-right influence

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has referred to footage showing bodies at the home of the man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in Krakow, as investigators probe the background of an attack that left six people dead and 15 injured. Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, the PM said three people, two women and a man, were found dead inside the home of the suspect, and were likely close members of his family. Tusk described the discovery late Saturday as “the next acts of this tragedy”. Meanwhile, interior minister Marcin Kierwiński said the 25-year-old suspect was influenced by far-right ideologies, describing his views as “very radical” and “ultranationalistic”. The attack took place on Saturday afternoon in Krakow’s Main Market Square, a major tourist hub in the heart of the Old Town. The suspect, a Polish citizen, drove through the crowded square and opened fire at multiple locations with an automatic weapon, authorities said. Police later shot and wounded him before taking him to hospital for surgery. The victims comprised four women and two men. At least three of the women were Polish, while one of those killed was a British citizen. Authorities were still working to identify the remaining two victims, officials said at a news conference. “Everything indicates that he was fascinated by far-right ideologies,” Kierwiński said, adding that the suspect held “very radical” views. The minister did not disclose the man’s identity. Poland’s defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz described the shooting as an “act of terror” against the people of Krakow. The city, Poland’s second-largest, receives around 15 million visitors a year, many of whom visit the Main Market Square. Krakow police spokesperson Katarzyna Cisło said the attacker wore military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest and used a military-type long gun. Police found additional weapons and ammunition in his car. She said the suspect continued firing at officers even after being shot. Describing the attacker's movements through the square, Cisło said he went on a “wild ride”, resulting in people being wounded at several locations. She added that he appeared to have acted alone and that there was no continuing threat to the public. Two police officers were among the injured, one seriously, Kierwiński said. Police commander Marek Boroń said five foreign nationals were also wounded. Authorities said 13 of the injured were hospitalised in serious condition, although that figure may have included the suspect. Two people were treated and released within hours of the shooting. The attack also affected transport and the square’s horse-drawn carriage trade. Krakow’s municipal transport company said a tram driver reported that his vehicle had been shot at by a man in a moving car near the square, shattering the cabin window. Animal rights group OTOZ Animals said the attacker also shot two horses; both survived, though one was hit in the leg. Mayor Łukasz Gibała announced official mourning in Krakow until Wednesday. “The square will belong to us again,” he said in a video posted on X, while insisting the city would remain open to visitors. Tusk praised the police response, while president Karol Nawrocki expressed support for the victims, the wounded and their families. Investigators are examining the suspect’s background, the weapons recovered and evidence from his home as they seek to establish the circumstances and motive behind Poland’s rare mass shooting.