A man opened fire on random people from his car in the main square of the Polish city of Krakow at around 3 p.m. on Saturday, according to local police. At least five people were killed and ten were injured, VG reports.
The shooter was shot by police and is being taken to hospital, Polish police said on X. Police officers are reported to be among those hit.
Why it matters
Rynek Główny, Krakow's main square, is one of Europe's largest medieval market squares and sits at the heart of the city's historic centre. It is normally crowded with visitors and locals at all hours, and Saturday's attack struck in the middle of a busy weekend in a city that draws large numbers of tourists, including many Norwegians.
What witnesses saw
VG has viewed videos on social media showing several dead people lying on the ground while others receive first aid. Images show overturned chairs at empty outdoor restaurant tables around the popular square, after people ran for their lives.
One video seen by VG shows the suspected perpetrator dressed in military-style clothing, which Polish police also confirmed to Reuters. The perpetrator is reported to have used a long firearm of a military type.
Another video shows a police officer trying to overpower the shooter but apparently being shot in the attempt.
Norwegian Oliver told VG he was sitting inside a restaurant right by the square when the shooting began. He is in Krakow with colleagues on a work trip this weekend.
"Suddenly we saw that the square started to empty. Then we heard lots of shots outside, and we pulled right to the back of the premises," he told VG.
He described a smaller blue passenger car from which the gunman fired. The shots were fired in the opposite direction from where Oliver was sitting. According to him, there were two people in the car.
"It seemed like they were shooting at one particular person who was running down the street. That person was eventually hit, but in the meantime the shots had hit several others. This square is constantly full of people all the time," Oliver said.
He said he saw people being hit at both ends of the street. He and his colleagues had made their way to a nearby jazz club by the time VG spoke to him at around 4:30 p.m.
Hanne Stangeland Øen was in Krakow for a long weekend and was also close to the main square. She and her companions had just left the square and were in a nearby apartment when they heard loud bangs.
"Then we heard something we thought was fireworks. But then we realised it was actually shooting," Øen told VG by phone from Poland.
"You become completely shaky. An incredibly unpleasant experience. And then your thoughts go to those who were actually in the streets."
Norwegian Jone Dale was also in Kraków, there for his daughter's 30th birthday. They were sitting and eating when several shots were fired just beyond the restaurant.
"We were sitting at a café when we heard several shots 50–100 metres away. Then we ran inside," Dale told VG.
Official reaction
Poland's president, Karol Nawrocki, wrote on X that he is deeply shaken by Saturday's tragic events.
Saturday's attack is among the deadliest shooting incidents in Poland in recent years, and it unfolded in a public space that is a centrepiece of the country's tourism industry. Polish authorities have not yet released further details about the suspected gunman's identity or a possible motive.
What to watch next: Polish police and prosecutors are expected to release further information on the investigation, the condition of the wounded and the identity of the suspect.
