Krakow shooting suspect has died in hospital, police say

Polish police say the man suspected of carrying out a mass shooting in central Krakow on Saturday has died in hospital early on Monday morning, ending a manhunt and investigation that has shocked Poland and drawn tributes from across Europe, including the United Kingdom.

The 24-year-old man, who has not been named by police, was shot by armed officers within three minutes of opening fire shortly before 15:00 local time on Saturday in Krakow’s Main Market Square, according to Polish officials. Police say he was taken to hospital with injuries sustained during the exchange of fire and died in the early hours of Monday. Sixteen people in total, including the suspect, five foreigners, two police officers and others, were taken to hospital after the shooting, according to the interior ministry.

What happened on Saturday

Officials say the shooting began in the busy Main Market Square in Krakow, the second largest city in Poland, and left at least six people dead and more than a dozen others injured. Six people, four women and two men, have been confirmed killed in the square. Four of the victims are Polish, while a British national and an Austrian woman were also killed, according to BBC reporting. Police say three more bodies were found at the suspect’s family home after the attack. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the three bodies, two women and one man, were discovered when officers searched the house. On Sunday police confirmed they were identified as the suspect’s 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother and 21-year-old sister.

Polish media has reported that the suspect held a firearms permit and may have obtained the weapons used in the attack from the family home, although police have not confirmed that detail. Early investigations indicate the man was apparently inspired by far-right ideologies, a minister said, describing him as an ultra-nationalist. Polish police have not released the suspect’s name or provided a detailed public timeline beyond confirming the brief gunfight with armed officers who raced to the scene after the first shots were heard.

Britons caught up in the attack

The killing has directly affected British travellers in Poland. Ruby Catherine Warren, from London, told BBC reporters she heard gunfire near the square and ran with friends until they found a hotel to shelter in. Tom Brook, from West Yorkshire, was inside a fast-food restaurant near the square when he heard multiple gunshots and saw people running for cover, before walking into the square and seeing paramedics treating casualties. Two surgeons who were eating near the square when the shooting began rushed to treat victims without waiting for ambulances, including two injured police officers. Professor Michal Pędziwiatr told the BBC that he and Dr Mateusz Wierdak, named by local media, decided to help as soon as possible because no ambulances or professionals were initially available. On Sunday both injured officers were reported to have emerged from comas.

Reaction in the UK and in Poland

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he was shocked and saddened by the appalling shooting in Krakow. He said his thoughts were with the families of those who had lost their lives, everyone injured and all those affected by the senseless violence, adding that the United Kingdom stood in solidarity with the people of Poland. In Poland, the government declared two days of national mourning following the attack. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who travelled to Krakow after the shooting, said Poland had not previously seen such drastic cases of terrorism and described the attack as a cruel assault on people’s lives. The Main Market Square reopened on Sunday evening after a security cordon was lifted.

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Why it matters

For readers in the UK, the Krakow attack matters beyond the number of casualties because a British national was among those killed and other Britons were directly caught up in the panic in the square. The case is also being closely watched in Poland and across Europe for what police say about the suspect’s ideology, his access to firearms and the speed with which officers responded. It raises wider questions about lone-actor attacks on crowded tourist squares, the protection of city centres at weekends and the support available to foreign visitors and residents after major incidents abroad. The confirmation that the suspect has died means no trial will follow in this case, so the official account of motive and planning will rely on the police investigation rather than courtroom evidence.

What happens next

Polish police are expected to continue their investigation into how the suspect planned the attack, where the weapons came from and whether anyone else had knowledge of his intentions. Officials are likely to publish further details about the victims, subject to family wishes and notification, and to update the public on the condition of those still in hospital. In Kraków, attention will turn to the national mourning period and to any review of firearms licensing and city-centre security. British officials may also provide consular support to the family of the British victim and to any Britons injured or affected. Further statements from the Polish government and from UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham are expected as formal identification processes conclude.