What happened

On Thursday, 22 October, a knife attack took place on Nowogrodzka Street in central Warsaw, close to the Novotel hotel, shortly after 12:00. Police learned of the incident just after noon, and officers reached the scene within minutes of the alert. One man was injured and taken to hospital by medical crews, and police confirmed only that he had been transported there. Witnesses told officers the attacker used a dangerous object, most likely a knife.

Conflicting accounts

Descriptions of the wound and the exact location differ between outlets. naTemat reported that the victim was stabbed, while Super Express, citing witnesses, said the attacker struck the man in the head with a sharp object before running off. Rzeczpospolita placed the incident behind the Novotel hotel, as did TVP Info, which cited Wirtualna Polska, while Super Express described the spot as just around the corner from the hotel. Police have not yet confirmed the weapon. None of the four articles described the injured man's condition beyond the hospital transfer.

Police response

Asp. Jakub Pacyniak of the Warsaw I District Police Headquarters told Interia that officers were verifying the reports about the weapon.

“We are verifying these reports.”

In a separate interview with Super Express, the same spokesperson confirmed that no one had been detained and described the scale of the operation at the scene.

“We have not detained anyone at this point, and officers are carrying out wide-ranging activities at the scene.”

Police have also told reporters that they are securing traces that could lead to the attacker. Witnesses are being questioned to put together a description of him.

The manhunt

The attacker fled the scene, and no one has been detained so far. Officers are searching for him in the city, and the area around the attack has been secured. Investigators are trying to establish his identity, and witness accounts are being used to build a description. Police are also checking whether a knife was actually used, since that detail has not been verified. Witnesses describe the attacker as a man.

Open questions

The investigation is at an early stage. No suspect has been named, and none of the four articles reported a motive. The police have released only limited information so far, saying that protecting the proceedings and the chances of catching the attacker come first. The case remains open with the attacker at large.