Krakow Shooting: Six Killed in Main Square Attack

Six people were killed and 15 others wounded when a gunman opened fire from a moving car in Krakow’s Main Market Square on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Police said four women and two men were killed, and two police officers were among the wounded. The attacker, a 24-year-old Polish citizen, was shot by police and taken to hospital in custody.

What happened in the Main Square

Police began receiving reports at around 3 p.m. local time that a man had driven a car into the Main Market Square, one of Europe’s largest medieval squares and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and started shooting at random passersby. According to police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cislo, the gunman was wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest and was using a military-type long gun.
The attacker drove around the square firing at people in several locations, which is why the wounded were found at different spots. Police said the man had no identification documents with him, and his identity was established through police operational work. His motive is not yet known, and police have not disclosed the nationalities of the victims.

Police shot and detained the gunman

Officers confronted the attacker a short distance from the square, near the intersection of Dietla and Stradomska streets. The gunman fired at two police officers, and officers returned fire, shooting and wounding him before taking him into custody. One of the wounded officers is in a serious condition, Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said, while the other officer was also hurt by gunfire.
Police confirmed on X that the detained man was the only known perpetrator of the attack and rejected claims circulating online about multiple shooters. Twelve of the wounded were reported to be in a critical condition.

Reaction and mourning in Krakow

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X that police were investigating what he called a tragic shooting and that he was being kept informed by the interior minister. Tusk later travelled to Krakow following the attack. Krakow mayor Lukasz Gibala declared a period of mourning in the city until 11 November.
The shooting came just four days before Poland’s Independence Day celebrations on 11 November. The Main Market Square was about 500 metres from an anti-government demonstration being held in the square at the time, according to the Polish television channel Republika, though police have not linked the attack to the protest.
Krakow is Poland’s second-largest city and one of its most popular tourist destinations, with around 15 million visitors a year, most of whom pass through the Main Market Square. Emergency services remained at the scene into the evening, and police said the investigation into the attacker’s background, how he obtained the weapons, and what drove him was continuing.

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Sources: Reuters, CNN, Haaretz and Times of Israel, 7 November 2026.