Six people died and 15 more were hurt in Krakow on Saturday, 7 November 2026. A gunman drove into Main Square, known in Polish as Rynek Glowny, and fired at people at random. Police later shot and arrested him. The attack took place at around 3 p.m. local time, or 1400 GMT. It hit one of Europe’s busiest tourist squares on a normal Saturday afternoon. Police said the gunman acted alone. They said the public is safe now. The suspect is in hospital under police guard. He is 24 years old. He is a Polish citizen.
What happened in Krakow Main Square
The square was full of visitors, shoppers, and local people when the shooting began. Many had come to enjoy a mild autumn day in the city centre. The gunman drove his car into the square. He then fired a long gun at people near him. People ran for cover. Some ran down side streets. Others hid in shops and cafes. Videos shared online show crowds running away in fear. The sound of shots broke a calm afternoon in a place known for music, markets, and street life.
A tram driver gave police one of the first warnings. He said his tram was shot at from a moving car near the square at around 3 p.m. A window in the driver cabin was shattered. The report helped police trace the path of the car. Police spokeswoman Katarzyna Cislo said the attacker took a “wild ride” around the square. That is why people were hurt in several places, not in one spot alone. Police and ambulances soon covered the area. A Medical Air Rescue helicopter landed in the square. Officers sealed off streets around it.
The square, Rynek Glowny, sits at the heart of Krakow. It is one of the largest medieval squares in Europe. It draws crowds all year. On a Saturday, it fills with families, tour groups, and street sellers. Cafes line its edges. The Cloth Hall stands in its centre. That setting made the attack even more shocking. People had no reason to expect danger there. They were walking, eating, and taking photos. Within minutes, a place of leisure became a crime scene.
Gunman shot by police, now in custody
Police moved fast after the first calls. Officers reached the square and found the gunman a short distance away. A gunfight followed. Police shot the man and wounded him. He kept firing at officers even after he was shot. Officers then took him into custody. He was taken to hospital for surgery. Police said he wore military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest. He used a military-type long gun. Officers found many more weapons and bullets in his car.
Police said the gunman acted alone. They said there is no wider threat to the public now. The suspect is under guard in hospital. His name has not been shared in full in the early reports. Police are still checking his background and his car. They are also checking where he got his weapons. It was not clear at first if the gun used, or the guns found in the car, were legal. That question will form a key part of the police work in the days ahead.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X that police are looking into the attack. He praised the officers who answered the call. President Karol Nawrocki said his thoughts were with the victims, the wounded, and their families. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski spoke at a press conference later in the day. He said early signs point to the gunman holding “very, very radical views” and being drawn to far-right ideas. He stressed that this still has to be checked. It is not an established motive. Police have not yet said why the man acted.
Victims and injured officers
Six people were killed in the attack. Four were women. Two were men. Police first said five people had died. They later raised the toll to six in a post on X. Fifteen people were wounded. Some were hurt by gunfire. Others were hurt as they ran or fell in the rush to escape. Hospitals in Krakow took in the wounded. Doctors worked through the afternoon and evening. The full state of each patient was still being checked in the first hours.
Two police officers were among the wounded. One was in a very serious state. Minister Kierwinski said that officer had been shot three times. Surgery was under way for him. The second officer was also hurt, but less badly. Their injuries show how close the fight with the gunman came. Officers ran toward the shots while others ran away. Tusk praised that response in his message. The wounded officers are now part of the human cost of the day.
Families of the dead and wounded waited for news through the evening. Police did not name the victims at once. That is normal in the first hours after a major attack. Names come only after families have been told. Support teams were sent to help relatives. The city also faced a long night of checks. Police kept streets closed while they searched the square and the car. They looked for clues and for any other danger. No other suspect was found.
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Killed | 6 (4 women, 2 men) |
| Wounded | 15 |
| Suspect | 24-year-old Polish citizen, in custody |
| Time | ~3 p.m. Sat 7 Nov 2026 |
| Place | Main Square, Krakow |
| Police wounded | 2 (1 seriously) |
Why Krakow shooting shocks Poland
Mass shootings are rare in Poland. That is a main reason the attack has shocked the country. Poland has strict gun rules by world standards. Around 411,000 people hold gun permits in a country of 37 million people. Interest in gun ownership has been rising in recent years. Still, a random attack on a crowd in a city centre is not a normal event in Polish life. Many people in Krakow said they never thought such a thing could happen there.
The shooting also follows a worrying run of violence in schools. In mid-October, three attacks at schools in Mazovia province took place within four days. One person died. Many were wounded, including children. Those events had already raised fears about safety in public places. Saturday’s attack in Krakow has now added to that fear. It shows that danger can appear in a school, and in a busy square, with little warning.
The place also adds to the shock. About 15 million tourists visit Krakow each year. Most of them pass through Main Square. It is a key stop for visitors to Poland. The historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known for its old buildings, churches, and markets. An attack there hits not just local people, but the image of a city that lives on tourism and culture. Hotels, cafes, and shops around the square felt the impact at once.
The date adds weight too. The attack came days before Poland’s Independence Day on 11 November. That day is a major date in the Polish calendar. It marks the return of Polish independence in 1918. It brings parades, flags, and public events across the country. A violent attack just before that date will raise questions about safety at public events. Police said the public is safe. But the coming days will test that promise. Krakow must now heal, and Poland must ask how a young man with many guns reached its most famous square.
Six people were killed in the shooting in Krakow Main Square on Saturday, 7 November 2026. Four were women and two were men. Fifteen more people were wounded. Police first put the death toll at five, then raised it to six in a post on X.
Police said the gunman was a 24-year-old Polish citizen. He wore military-style fatigues and a bulletproof vest and used a military-type long gun. Police shot and wounded him in a gunfight a short distance from the square. He was taken to hospital for surgery and is in custody. Police said he acted alone.
Police said the gunman acted alone and the public is safe. He is in custody in hospital under police guard. Police sealed off the area around Main Square after the attack and said there was no wider threat.
