Kraków Massacre Linked to Far-Right Ideology

Poland is mourning a violent turn in its history as officials link a deadly shooting in Kraków to far-right extremism. The attack, which took place on Saturday in the city's main market square, left six people dead and has prompted a national response.

The suspect, a Polish man in his mid-20s from the town of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie, was described by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński as having ultranationalistic beliefs. Kierwiński stated that everything indicated the shooter was fascinated by far-right ideologies. He used an automatic rifle in the midday attack, which police and officials have characterized as a terror attack.

Six victims were killed in the square: four women and two men. Among the dead were four Polish nationals, one British national, and one woman whose nationality has not been released. Four of the victims have been identified, though their names remain private. Eleven people were injured in the shooting, including two police officers. All wounded were reported alive as of Sunday.

The investigation has expanded beyond the city center. Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek announced that the suspect faces separate murder charges related to three relatives found dead in his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyskie. The victims in the apartment are believed to be the suspect's parents and sister. Żurek said the investigation is led by terror offense specialists and aims to determine the full sequence of the perpetrator's actions.

The suspect was shot by police at the scene and transported to a hospital around 3 p.m. local time. Regional governor Krzysztof Klęczar said the man remains in critical condition. Two senior constables, Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski, confronted the gunman and are also in serious condition. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called them true heroes, noting that Kulik is fighting for his life in the hospital with one lung non-functional.

The Interior Ministry announced two national days of mourning for November 8 and 9. In the aftermath, parts of Main Market Square reopened on Sunday, but police maintained cordons to conduct forensic work. Video from the scene showed an officer firing at the gunman before collapsing to the ground, struggling to reload while clutching his arm.

Survivors described a chaotic escape from the square. Taylor Dorfmeister, a 21-year-old American student from Santa Cruz, California, was visiting with a roommate when the gunfire began. He said the crowd reacted after a delay, and he hid in a building where the sound of the rifle seemed to come from the floor above him. He believed the noise was too close for anyone to survive.

Marie-Ange Collaer, visiting from Brussels with her family, wrote on Facebook that they hid in a shop while bullets flew. She described the experience as similar to a police movie, with the family lying on the floor in shock. U.K. resident Neil Thaxton and his wife Nicky also survived after a gift shop staff locked them in the back of the store and turned off the lights.

World leaders offered condolences and solidarity. British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the U.K. deeply mourns the British national who died. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the event a shocking crime. U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose posted that the incident was rare in a country considered safe, describing the nation's shock as remarkable.

The U.S. State Department confirmed it was not aware of any American citizens harmed in the violence. As of Sunday, the focus of the investigation remains on securing evidence and establishing the circumstances of the killings in both Kraków and the suspect's hometown.