Gunman Kills Six People in Krakow, Polish Police Say

The gunman who killed six people in the historic Old Town district of Poland’s second largest city on Saturday is likely a domestic far-right extremist, according to Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski.

(Bloomberg) -- The gunman who killed six people in the historic Old Town district of Poland’s second largest city on Saturday is likely a domestic far-right extremist, according to Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski.

The alleged perpetrator, a 24-year-old Polish national whose name hasn’t been made public, was injured during an exchange of gunfire with police near the Main Market Square in Krakow and taken to the hospital, where he’s undergoing an operation, Kierwinski said.

The suspect drove onto the main Krakow square in a car and opened fire with an automatic rifle at what appeared to be random targets, according to government officials. Those killed included four women and two men, while a further 16 people were injured, the regional police said. 

Three police officers were injured in the shooting, including one with several wounds in critical condition in a Krakow hospital, Kierwinski said.

“Everything indicates he was fascinated by far-right ideology,” Kierwinski told reporters in Krakow. Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland was dealing with an act of terrorism.

Video taken by a witness and showed by broadcaster TVN24 showed the suspected shooter apparently injured, laying on a sidewalk, dressed in military gear, a bullet proof vest and with a rifle. The defense minister said the suspect had no links to the Polish military.

Kierwinski said the suspect had a license for a firearm and that his car was full of ammunition and other guns that probably belong to his family. 

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said police are looking into “all the circumstances of the attack,” while President President Karol Nawrocki said he’s in contact with the relevant authorities and expects a full explanation of the circumstances. 

The district in Krakow, a city of some 800,000 located about 250 km (150 miles) south of Warsaw, is a Unesco World Heritage Site known for its medieval architecture. It’s a popular destination for tourists.  

(Updates with details about the suspect, from the first paragraph.)