On Saturday afternoon, a masked 24-year-old Polish man drove a vehicle into Kraków’s Main Market Square and began firing at people present in the area. Following an exchange of gunfire with the police, he was wounded and taken into custody. The attack resulted in six deaths and 16 injuries, including two police officers and the perpetrator himself.
Separately, the bodies of two women and a man - were discovered at the perpetrator’s family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, some 160 km north-east of Kraków. According to the region's police, the victims were the perpetrator’s parents (a 53-year-old father and a 52-year-old mother) and his 21-year-old sister. Their bodies bore injuries that were preliminarily identified as gunshot wounds.
On Sunday, the National Prosecutor’s Office announced on X that an investigation into Saturday’s events had been initiated. The decision was made by a prosecutor from the Kraków branch of the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption.
The National Prosecutor’s Office stated that the investigation encompasses the fatal shooting of six individuals, as well as the attempted murder of numerous others, including police officers. The statement emphasized that "this act constituted a terrorist offense".
As noted by the spokesperson for the National Prosecutor's Office, Prosecutor Przemysław Nowak, the investigation also encompasses the killing of three people in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski - an incident that, according to the prosecution, also took place on November 7 and involved the use of a firearm. Evidence suggests that these acts were committed by the same individual, Prosecutor Nowak stated on X.
"Prosecutors from various units have been conducting procedural actions - including crime scene examinations - from the very beginning, first in Kraków and subsequently in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. These operations continued throughout the night and are still ongoing" - the statement added.
Prosecutor General Waldemar Żurek also commented on the investigation via X, emphasizing that the Department for Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor's Office is the appropriate body to handle proceedings concerning terrorist offenses. He noted that, based on the current legal classification, the perpetrator of Saturday's attack acted "with the intent to seriously intimidate a large number of people, which renders this act a terrorist offense".
The Minister of Justice added that both incidents - those in Kraków’s Main Market Square and those in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski - carry the most severe penalty: life imprisonment. "Clarifying all the circumstances of these tragic events, establishing the full sequence of the perpetrator's actions, and securing evidence are the current priorities of the ongoing investigation. [...] The state must respond to such brutal acts of violence firmly, efficiently, and by making full use of all available legal instruments" - Minister Żurek wrote, adding that "the safety of our citizens is an absolute priority".
Earlier, speaking on the TVP Info channel, prosecutor Tomasz Waszczuk, a spokesperson for the Krakow District Prosecutor's Office, stated that the perpetrator of Saturday's attack has not yet been formally placed under arrest, due to his current medical condition and hospitalization. However, the 24-year-old is under constant guard by law enforcement, and as soon as his health permits, the prosecutor's office will conduct investigative procedures, bring charges against him, and make a decision regarding preventive measures such as pre-trial detention.
The assailant, reported to be influenced by the far-right ideology, held a valid firearms license and had no prior criminal record or police history. Following his apprehension, officers discovered multiple weapons and ammunition inside his vehicle. When asked, Prosecutor Waszczuk confirmed that the investigation would also encompass the 24-year-old's actions leading up to the attack - including the matter of his firearms license.
Krzysztof Klęczar, the Małopolska region's head, announced during a briefing on Sunday that the entire operation following Saturday's attack in Krakow involved 1,146 police officers - drawn from both within and outside the Małopolska garrison - as well as 24 units from the State Fire Service, comprising 62 firefighters and rescue personnel.
He further stated that the 6 fatalities from Saturday's attack in Krakow include four Polish citizens, one British citizen, and one woman who was not a Polish citizen. He added that the other victims - those who survived - include 11 Polish nationals and 5 foreign nationals. Among them, he stated, the condition of 14 individuals is now described as stable, while one person is in serious condition. Meanwhile, the condition of the perpetrator of the attack in Kraków is reported to be critical.
As of midnight, following a decision by President Karol Nawrocki, a two-day period of national mourning is in effect across Poland.
(mm)
Source: PAP