Krakow shooter dies in hospital after killing nine
The 24-year-old suspect was shot by police during a gunfight in the city's Main Market Square on Saturday.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
The man accused of killing nine people in Krakow, Poland, died in a hospital on Monday morning, police confirmed. The 24-year-old Polish national was wounded by armed officers on Saturday after opening fire in the city's central square. He had been the subject of a national manhunt before his death.
The attack began shortly before 3 p.m. local time on Saturday. Police stated they engaged the suspect in a gunfight and hit him within three minutes of the first shots being fired. This rapid response, officials said, stopped the attacker from continuing the assault. The suspect was identified only by age and nationality, with his name withheld from the public.
Six people died in the Main Market Square. The victims included four women and two men. Four of the dead were Polish citizens, while a British man and an Austrian woman also lost their lives. Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced that three additional bodies were found at the suspect's home. These victims were his 53-year-old father, his 52-year-old mother, and his 21-year-old sister.
Sixteen individuals were transported to medical facilities following the shooting. This group included five foreign nationals from Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal, and Russia, along with two police officers. A government minister indicated that the suspect was driven by far-right ideologies and described him as an ultra-nationalist. No further details on his motives were provided at that time.
Two surgeons were dining near the square when the gunfire started. They ran to the scene to assist because ambulances had not yet arrived. Professor Michal Pądziwiatr told the BBC that he and his colleague, Dr. Mateusz Wierdak, began treating the injured immediately. Wierdak used his hand to stop the bleeding of a severely wounded police officer until help arrived. Both officers recovered from comas by Sunday.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as people fled for cover. Ruby Catherine Warren, from London, said she shouted at her friends to run and they sprinted to a nearby hotel for safety. Tom Brook, from West Yorkshire, heard multiple gunshots from inside a McDonald's restaurant. He later saw paramedics treating a victim lying on a foil blanket.
Poland declared two days of national mourning after the incident. Prime Minister Tusk traveled to Krakow and called the event a drastic case of terrorism. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham expressed shock and sadness over the shooting. The Main Market Square reopened to the public on Sunday evening after police lifted the security barrier.
