Former Employee Detained After Shooting and Barricade at Gillette Factory in Łódź

Police detained a 42-year-old man on April 1, 2026, after he entered the Gillette factory on Nowy Józefów Street in Łódź, fired shots at his former manager, and barricaded himself on the premises for several hours. The suspect, a former employee who had worked at the plant for 14 years until December 2024, jumped over a perimeter fence to gain access to the facility and fired two to three shots at a person in an office room. No one was injured in the shooting. Approximately 400 (people) — factory employees evacuated during the incident workers were evacuated from the grounds as police launched a large-scale operation to locate and detain the man.

Counter-terrorism units from three cities join the standoff The police operation stretched across several hours and drew in specialized resources from multiple cities. Counter-terrorism units from Łódź, Poznań, and Warsaw were deployed to the factory grounds, alongside negotiators, drones, and jamming equipment. Commissioner Edyta Machnik, press spokesperson for the Provincial Police Headquarters (KWP) in Łódź, confirmed that officers were working simultaneously on two tracks: gathering procedural evidence and conducting negotiations with the suspect. Police brought the area of Nowy Józefów Street under a cordon, blocking passage through the street for the duration of the operation. Truck drivers who had been delivering goods to the factory were initially prevented from leaving the site and, according to one account cited by Express Ilustrowany, some had been waiting for six hours before police allowed them to leave to get food. Evacuated factory employees were instructed by police not to speak with journalists. The Municipal Police Headquarters (KMP) in Łódź stated that the operation was "very difficult and required high engagement from the officers" and that "the safety of police officers and bystanders was an absolute priority."

Prosecutor details how the attacker bypassed factory security District Prosecutor Marta Stachowiak-Klimaszewska of the Łódź-Polesie district provided details of how the attack unfolded. „The attacker, a former employee, entered the factory grounds over the fence; a security guard will be questioned regarding this matter. The 42-year-old, who ended his employment at the plant in 2024 after 14 years, entered one of the office rooms with a firearm and fired 2-3 shots toward a person present there. After the shots, the attacker ran out of the room after the victim.” — Marta Stachowiak-Klimaszewska via naTemat.pl The prosecutor confirmed that two to three shots were fired and that at least one witness was present in the office at the time of the shooting. Investigators have yet to formally establish how the man brought a firearm onto the factory grounds, bypassing security checks at the entrance, and this remains a key line of inquiry. The suspect did not hold a weapons permit, according to reporting by RMF FM. Unofficial accounts cited by multiple outlets suggested the man may have sought revenge for his dismissal or for what he perceived as poor treatment during his employment, though police said the suspect had not disclosed his motives to negotiators.

Attempted murder charge expected, psychiatric evaluation likely Following his detention, the 42-year-old faces a charge of attempted murder, according to Gazeta.pl. Asp. Kamila Sowińska, press officer for the Municipal Police Headquarters in Łódź, confirmed the man's detention to Interia. Prosecutors indicated that a motion for temporary arrest will be filed against the suspect. Authorities also stated that a psychiatric expert opinion will be sought during the proceedings and that forensic-psychiatric observation in a closed facility cannot be ruled out. The man had no prior criminal record, according to reporting by Wprost. The Gillette brand, which produces razors and shaving accessories, has been owned by Procter & Gamble since 2005, when P&G acquired The Gillette Company. Procter & Gamble is a multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is one of the largest companies in the world by market value. The Gillette Company was originally founded in 1901 by King C. Gillette. The exact circumstances of the attack, including the precise motive and the method by which the weapon was smuggled past factory security, remain under active investigation.

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