Two people were killed and ten others were injured when shots were fired in central Krakow on Saturday, according to WP Wiadomości. The gunfire broke out in the area of the city's Main Market Square (Rynek Główny), the outlet reported.
Citing Capt. Hubert Ciepły, press spokesman for the Małopolska regional commander of the State Fire Service (PSP), WP Wiadomości said the shots came from a passing car. The vehicle had not been located at the time of the report.
Why it matters
The incident struck the historic heart of one of Poland's largest cities on a Saturday, a day when the Main Market Square and surrounding streets are typically crowded with residents and visitors. Emergency services issued an unusual public warning telling people in the area to take cover indoors, reflecting concern that the threat had not been resolved. The death toll and the fact that the suspected vehicle was still at large made this one of the most serious security incidents in the city in recent memory.
What emergency services said
The fire service spokesman confirmed the casualties in comments to WP Wiadomości. "There are fatalities and people injured," Capt. Ciepły said, according to the outlet, which later reported the service's clarification that two people had died and ten were hurt.
In an appeal quoted by WP Wiadomości, the spokesman urged people to get inside and stay there. He said the aim was for people to shelter because it was not known who was responsible or whether they might return.
The fire service asked anyone in the area of the Main Market Square and nearby streets to exercise particular caution, remain in secure enclosed spaces, follow instructions from the emergency services and stay away from the scene.
Police activity and the city's response
WP Wiadomości also reported that police were carrying out an operation on Dietla Street. The outlet quoted a statement posted on the City of Krakow's profile saying shots had been fired on the Main Market Square, that rescue services were already at the scene and that police were also active on Dietla Street. The city said it was awaiting official confirmation of the scale of the incident, including the number of people affected.
The report included an account from a witness in Stradom, a district close to the city centre, though the outlet did not publish further details of what that person saw.
What to watch
Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the car from which the shots were reportedly fired remains unaccounted for. Further official statements are expected to clarify the sequence of events, the identities of the victims and whether investigators have identified a suspect. Residents and travellers in Krakow should follow guidance from the police and fire service until those updates are issued.
