In brief
Polish police confirmed the death of the gunman who opened fire on Saturday, leaving six people dead and many injured. Prosecutors are investigating murders of three members of the gunman’s family in a home near Krakow and will begin autopsies of the victims.
In the early hours of Monday, Polish police announced that the 24‑year‑old gunman suspected of sparking a mass shooting in Krakow’s Main Market Square had died in hospital after a firefight with officers. The incident, which began around 3 p.m. on Saturday, involved the suspect driving a vehicle into the square, firing indiscriminately, striking a tram, and later engaging in a police pursuit that ended with him being shot and apprehended.
According to a statement from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Krakow, the suspect was hospitalized in critical condition on Saturday and died early Monday morning. The gunman, identified as Michał O., is reported to have killed six people in the square and an additional three at his family home, according to the National Prosecutor’s Office.
"We are in close contact with the Polish authorities and are doing everything we can to provide the best possible support to her relatives in this difficult situation," says Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl‑Reisinger.
In a statement, Austrian officials noted that the deceased’s daughter was among those injured, with the victim’s husband also listed among the fifteen people wounded in the Krakow attack. The death toll in Krakow rose from five to six as new injuries were confirmed.
Prosecutors have opened an investigation into both the shooting in the square and the murders at the suspect’s family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, located about 90 miles north of Krakow. The victims of the home killings—a pair of women and a man—were found dead in a dwelling that the suspect had allegedly used as a base. Preliminary findings indicate that the suspect was responsible for both incidents.
Autopsies of the victims were scheduled to begin immediately, with Prosecutor Eryk Stasielak stating that examinations could take up to two days due to the complex nature of the gunshot wounds. Prosecutors are also exploring whether the suspect was influenced by far‑right ideology; Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said investigators believed his extremist views might have played a role, though a motive has not yet been established.
The incident prompted statements from Polish officials. Prime Minister Donald Tusk highlighted "strong indications" that the three victims were members of the suspect’s immediate family, and Chief Prosecutor Adam S. emphasized the seriousness of the case as part of a broader effort to address rising security concerns.
Polish police and prosecutors have released statements to the public but have not yet provided a complete timeline of the suspect’s actions. They also reaffirmed that the suspect had no prior criminal record and that no weapons were recovered outside his vehicle at the crime scene.
Local residents and authorities have expressed shock and mourning, with the Main Market Square temporarily closed for investigations and memorials. Civic groups have called for community discussions on gun control and public safety as the nation steps into a period of heightened alert.