Krakow shooter dies in hospital after killing 6 in square
The 24-year-old attacker was shot by officers on Saturday before his death was confirmed Monday, while his parents and sister were found dead in their home 150 kilometers away.
By Daniela Ortega ·
Krakow, Poland, Nov. 9 (Central Florida Herald). The 24-year-old man who opened fire in Krakow’s Main Square on Saturday, killing six people and injuring 15 others, died in a hospital on Monday, police announced. The shooting took place in the Old Town, a major tourist hub in Poland’s second-largest city, and resulted in a mix of local and international casualties.
The attacker, described as having far-right views, drove a vehicle into the square while wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest. He began shooting from the vehicle and continued to fire even after police officers wounded him. The two officers who stopped the gunman remain hospitalized but were conscious by Sunday afternoon. Authorities have praised their actions as heroic.
The six victims included four women and two men. Three of the women and one of the men were Polish citizens. A man from the United Kingdom and a woman from Austria were also killed. Five other foreigners were among the 15 wounded, with representatives from the U.K., Portugal, Russia, Germany, and Austria.
In a separate location, authorities discovered the bodies of the shooter’s sister, mother, and father at their family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The town is located approximately 150 kilometers, or 93 miles, northeast of Krakow. Police indicated the three family members likely died from gunshot wounds.
Prosecutors opened an investigation on Sunday, classifying the incident as a terrorist offense involving the murder and attempted murder of numerous individuals, including police officers. The case remains under active review by local authorities.
On Sunday night, residents gathered in the square to lay candles and flowers near the bullet holes left in the pavement. Maciej Sikorski, a local resident, told The Associated Press that he returned to the site to avoid letting fear take over his life. “I come here so as not to get caught up in a spiral of fear and anxiety,” Sikorski said. He noted that it is easy to stop living and start vegetating out of fear, a reaction he wanted to avoid.
The gunman had been in critical condition in the hospital since the Saturday attack until his death on Monday. The Main Square, a central landmark in Krakow, returned to a state of quiet mourning as the investigation into the six deaths and 15 injuries continues.
