A British man was among nine people killed in a suspected terror attack in Kraków, where a gunman opened fire at the city’s crowded Main Market Square.
Six people died during the shooting at about 3pm local time, while three more victims, believed to be the suspect’s parents and sister, were later found dead at his home.
At least 15 people were injured, including two police officers who remained in critical condition in hospital. One of the injured was a Portuguese woman, while other foreign nationals hurt in the attack came from Austria, Germany, Russia and Britain.
The alleged gunman, a 25-year-old Polish citizen from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, drove into the square in a black Subaru and fired randomly from the vehicle using a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle.
He was wounded in a shootout with officers shortly afterwards and taken to hospital, where he was undergoing a second operation.
Police officers praised for intervening
Video footage showed an officer approaching a man in military-style green clothing as he lay on the ground. The officer appeared to fire around six shots before later being seen slumped on the ground.
Police said the suspect, who was wearing what appeared to be a helmet and body armour, had a firearms licence and returned fire after officers shot at him. They believe he acted alone.
Senior constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański were praised by Prime Minister Donald Tusk as “true heroes”. Both officers were in a critical condition, while an earlier report said one officer involved in the gunfight had been shot three times and was undergoing surgery.
Polish police commander Marek Boron said three of the dead were Polish and one was British. Two victims had not yet been identified.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect appeared to have been fascinated by far-right ideologies and held “very radical views”. He said an initial analysis indicated ultra-nationalist views, although this still needed to be verified.
Mr Kierwiński added that police had found several guns in the car and were examining whether the suspect had taken weapons from his family home. Some of the firearms were registered to his father, he said, but it was too early to draw conclusions.
Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz described the shooting as a terror attack and called for unity. He denied reports that the suspect was a soldier.
Scenes of panic in Kraków
People were seen fleeing as shots rang out across the square, with some hiding in nearby shops. Others attempted to help the injured and perform CPR while the attack was still under way.
An air ambulance landed in the square and a large emergency response remained in place. A passing tram was also hit by gunfire, shattering the driver’s window, although nobody on board was hurt.
Mr Tusk said: “It is a truly exceptional tragedy.” He said he was being kept informed of the investigation and urged politicians not to exploit the attack.
“My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic attack in Kraków. My highest praise for the heroic police officers who risked their lives,” he said.
“And a heartfelt appeal to politicians of all stripes: do not exploit this tragedy. We will establish all the circumstances of this crime.”
Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki said he was “deeply concerned” and expected a full explanation of the circumstances. Kraków’s mayor ordered a period of mourning until November 11.
