Shooting in central Kraków kills five or six, sparks European condolences

What happened

On Saturday, 7 November 2026, a man opened fire from a car on passersby in central Kraków. Sources differ on the toll: ANSA and Ziare.com report six dead and 15 injured, while Niezależna, citing police information, reports five dead and a dozen or more injured. The suspect was detained after a police intervention and taken to hospital, according to Niezależna. A police statement carried by Ziare.com said police officers were among the wounded. The death toll is still given as either five or six, and the reports so far name no motive.

Polish leaders and the football league

Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the interior minister said they would travel to the scene, Ziare.com reported. On X, Tusk called it a tragic armed incident and urged political leaders of every orientation not to turn the tragedy into a tool of political game. President Karol Nawrocki said he was deeply concerned, was in contact with the competent authorities and expected a full explanation of the circumstances, adding that the safety of Poles was an absolute priority.

The league's leadership decided that every other match of the 14th round would open with a minute of silence. Players, coaching staff and fans observed the tribute before Górnik Zabrze's match against Wieczysta Kraków. PKO Ekstraklasa announced the decision in an official statement:

“Following the tragic events in Kraków, the remaining matches of the 14th round of PKO Bank Polski Ekstraklasa will begin with a minute of silence in memory of the victims.”

Reactions abroad

Hungarian prime minister Péter Magyar posted condolences to the Polish people on Facebook, writing:

“I wish to express sincere condolences to our Polish brothers and sisters over the deadly attack in Kraków. Hungary stands with the Polish nation.”

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the tragedy would be felt far beyond Poland and conveyed her condolences to Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. She said her thoughts were with the victims, their families and the first-aid teams, and that Poland was not alone in its mourning. Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelenski condemned the violence in messages written in English and Polish, saying there could be no justification for the attack. He expressed confidence that the person responsible would answer to justice and wished a swift recovery to the wounded. The US Consulate in Kraków issued an alert advising American citizens to avoid the area where the shots were fired.