Woman shot in Swarzędz, police hunt identified suspect with drones and dogs

The shooting

On Saturday, 15 August 2026, around 15:25, a passerby discovered an unconscious woman with a head wound on the stairwell of a residential building at ul. Wielkiej Rybackiej in Swarzędz, a town located several kilometres east of Poznań in the Wielkopolskie voivodeship. Głos Wielkopolski reported that emergency services were alerted around 15:30. Emergency medical teams arrived at the scene, and the area was secured by police. The woman was immediately transported to hospital in a life-threatening condition. Significant police forces were dispatched to the location. Police later determined that the injuries resulted from a gunshot, with the perpetrator likely using a black powder weapon. As of the morning of 16 August, the woman remained in hospital in a severe condition, according to Głos Wielkopolski.

Sergeant Michał Wiśniowski of the Poznań police press team provided the first detailed official account on 16 August.

The victim in a life-threatening condition was immediately taken to hospital. From the findings so far, the injuries resulted from a gunshot, the perpetrator probably used a black powder weapon for this.

Manhunt underway

A large-scale manhunt for the suspected male attacker is ongoing. Wiśniowski confirmed that officers have identified the suspect and know his identity. The search is being conducted across multiple terrains and with specialised equipment.

Operations are being conducted on land, water and from the air, using drones and tracking dogs. Simultaneously, investigators and forensic technicians are securing evidence and clarifying the detailed circumstances of the incident.

Police do not exclude that the suspect may be armed. Officers have asked residents and witnesses to contact the emergency number 112 in case of any alarming situation. According to police findings, the suspect knew the victim over a longer period, though the nature of the relationship has not been officially specified.

Unofficial reports on the relationship

Local Radio Poznań, citing information from neighbours, reported that the wounded woman was shot by her former partner, from whom she had separated a few months earlier. Police have not officially confirmed this account. Readers of epoznan.pl also wrote to the editorial team reporting that a woman had been shot and that police had been searching for two men, though the latter detail has not been confirmed by official sources. The local portal SwarzędzLive was the first to report that a woman had been taken to hospital and that police had closed the area around ul. Wielkiej Rybackiej.

Initial police silence

For much of Saturday, 15 August, police released only minimal information about the incident. Officers confirmed only that a "criminal incident" had occurred at the location and promised more details at a later time. The local portal SwarzędzLive reported that the area around ul. Wielkiej Rybackiej was closed to the public, with police focusing on finding and detaining a man who may have been involved and who may have been hiding nearby. The restriction of access for bystanders was attributed to the possibility that the suspect was concealing himself in the vicinity. Detailed information about the nature of the incident and the search for the suspect was not released until the morning of 16 August, when Wiśniowski provided the first comprehensive account.