A gunman drove a vehicle into Krakow's Main Market Square and fired at people indiscriminately on Saturday afternoon, leaving five dead and roughly twelve injured, according to Polish police cited by RTE.ie. Officers shot and subdued the attacker, who was then taken to a hospital, a Krakow police spokesperson said. The force began receiving emergency calls at about 3pm local time (2pm Irish time) reporting a car entering the square with someone shooting from it.
Why it matters
The attack struck the historic centre of Poland's second-largest city, a square normally filled with tourists and residents on a weekend afternoon. RTE.ie reports that shootings are uncommon in Poland, an EU and NATO member on the alliance's eastern flank that borders Ukraine. The timing also draws attention: the country had been on heightened alert after a series of stabbings in October, which Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the time described as part of a "cult of violence," according to RTE.ie.
Officers among the wounded
The police service for the Lesser Poland region said on X that police officers were among those hurt, RTE.ie reports. The spokesperson said the gunman was "neutralised and shot" by officers before being transported to hospital. No information on the attacker's identity or possible motive has been released.
Tusk calls attack 'tragic'
Tusk wrote on X that he was being kept informed by the interior minister about the situation in Krakow following what he called the "tragic shooting," according to RTE.ie. He said police are examining the background and all the circumstances of the attack.
President Karol Nawrocki said on X that he was deeply concerned by reports of the events in central Krakow, RTE.ie reports. He said his thoughts were with the victims, the injured and their families, and that he remained in contact with the relevant authorities while expecting a full account of what happened. He added that the head of the National Security Bureau was travelling to Krakow and that the safety of Poles was an absolute priority.
Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek said on X that prosecutors, police and all relevant services were already working at the scene, according to RTE.ie. He pledged that the authorities would make sure the perpetrator of the crime is held fully accountable and severely punished.
Background of heightened alert
RTE.ie notes that Warsaw, a firm ally of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, has repeatedly warned about Russian sabotage and hybrid warfare on Polish territory — accusations Moscow has rejected. The report does not link Saturday's attack to any of those warnings, and no motive has been established.
What to watch
Investigators are still working to establish the attacker's background and the circumstances of the assault, and further official statements from the interior ministry and prosecutors are expected as the inquiry develops.
