Gunman kills six in Kraków square, at least 15 wounded, suspect arrested

What happened

A man drove into the central market square of Kraków, Poland's second-largest city, and opened fire from his car at around 15:00 local time on 7 November 2026. Police said the shooting caused panic in the busy historic centre, where dozens of shops, restaurants and cafés are located. Officers who rushed to the square tried to stop the gunman, and an exchange of fire followed. The suspect was wounded by police gunfire, arrested and taken to hospital. Police said he is the only known perpetrator and rejected reports that a second suspect was still at large.

Victims and injured

Police reported six dead, four women and two men, in the latest update available. At least 15 people were wounded, a figure that rose from earlier reports of five dead and at least ten injured, and then at least twelve injured. Two police officers were among the wounded. One is in serious condition, while the other was hit by three bullets and underwent surgery, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said. A witness who spoke to Interia said he ran into a police station on the square, where people were crouched on the floor.

Dead6

Injured (at least)15

Dead

6 people

Injured (at least)

15 people

Data from the article text

The suspect and the response

The suspect is a Polish national, according to police as reported by Onet, and he carried no identification documents, so his identity was established through operational work. Reports describe him wearing military-style clothing and holding a long military-type rifle, and police seized several weapons and rounds of ammunition from his car. The motive has not been disclosed. Police have denied conspiracy theories circulating on social media, and unverified videos shared online show people running from the square while others lie wounded on the ground.

Kierwiński praised the officers' quick reaction in a post on X, writing:

“Thanks to their heroic stance, the perpetrator was arrested quickly.”

Political reaction

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who was kept informed throughout, left Warsaw for Kraków, according to a government spokesperson. President Karol Nawrocki expressed sympathy for the families of the victims and for the wounded. Kraków mayor Łukasz Gibała said a crisis management team is operating at City Hall, while emergency services continue to work at the scene. The head of Poland's fire service praised police, firefighters and emergency medical crews for staying at the scene where others had to leave. Officials asked residents to stay calm, avoid spreading unverified information and follow the instructions of emergency services.