On a Saturday that should have been ordinary, one of Poland’s most beloved landmarks became the scene of horror.
Police say a man drove a car onto Krakow’s historic Main Square and began firing at random at people nearby. Six people were reported killed and about a dozen wounded, though one police spokesman gave an earlier toll of five dead, a sign of how quickly the situation was unfolding. Officers shot the suspect, who was taken to hospital and is now in custody. Police say he acted alone and is a Polish man.
An AFP reporter at the scene saw ambulances and police cars crowding the area as officers sealed it off. The square, usually filled with locals and tourists from across the world, fell silent.
“I saw a man shooting at people and walking around the square,” said Annette, a woman in her sixties who witnessed the attack. “It’s a tragedy for Krakow, we’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Prime Minister Donald Tusk called it “a tragic shooting” and said police are investigating the background and all circumstances. President Karol Nawrocki said he was in contact with the authorities and awaiting a full explanation, adding that the safety of Poles is an absolute priority. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas wrote that “Poland does not stand alone.”
Deadly shootings are rare in Poland, a country of 38 million people. Still, the nation had already been on high alert after a series of stabbings in October, which Tusk condemned as a “cult of violence.” Warsaw, a firm ally of Ukraine, has also repeatedly warned of Russian sabotage on Polish soil, accusations Moscow rejects.
Krakow, once Poland’s capital, welcomed 16.2 million visitors in 2025. Today, its famous square is a place of grief.
