In the historic center of Krakow, capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in southern Poland, a major tragedy occurred on Saturday, November 8, 2026, resulting in six deaths and sixteen seriously injured. Polish authorities confirmed that the attacker, a 24-year-old young man, fired a weapon from a vehicle at pedestrians in the Main Market Square. The incident resulted in multiple fatalities and is being investigated as an act of terrorism. [1]
The attack took place in the late afternoon in the most frequented tourist area of the historic city, where the presence of the local population and foreign visitors was remarkable. Random gunfire created widespread panic amid the weekend crowds. [1]
The incident remains one of the most serious acts of violence in recent Polish history, with six dead and 16 injured. [1]
According to eyewitness testimony, the suspect fired at the civilian population during the demonstration. When he attempted to flee the scene, police officers intervened, opening fire and seriously injuring the aggressor, who was then immobilized and transported to the hospital. [1]
The casualty list includes a British citizen, along with seven other people, among them three Polish women and five other foreigners. Two victims have not been identified as of this report. Those hospitalized in Krakow's hospitals number more than sixteen, including multiple staff involved in the horse-drawn carriage service on the main square. Three horses were hit by bullets, and two of them are in critical condition, fighting for survival, according to representatives of professional equestrian associations. [1]
In addition to the tragic public toll, the investigation revealed an additional macabre element: at the suspect's residence, located at a considerable distance from the attack site, the bodies of three people were discovered. [1]
After identifying the suspect, law enforcement executed a search at his address. Three corpses were found there: two men and one woman. According to sources from the Polish public radio station RMF FM, citing police information, the victims at the residence are the suspect's mother and father, as well as his sister, who had been killed similarly. [1]
The exact motives for the attack remain under investigation, but Polish authorities have revealed that the aggressor was fascinated by far-right extremist ideologies and acted alone. The Polish government, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, qualified the acts as terrorism. In sign of respect and gratitude toward law enforcement, Prime Minister Tusk declared Sunday and Monday as national mourning periods throughout the country to allow victims' families to grieve. [1]
Not applicable. [1]
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