Krakow Shooting Death Toll Rises to Nine as Three Bodies Found at Gunman's Home

KRAKÓW, Poland — The death toll from the Krakow shooting rose to nine on Saturday evening after police found three bodies inside the gunman's home, Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed, as Poland's interior minister said the attacker was fascinated by far-right ideologies and the defence minister called the attack an act of terror. The discovery, in the town of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski about 150 kilometres northeast of Kraków, turned a lone attack on the city's Main Market Square into a wider tragedy.

Key Points

• Polish police found three bodies — two women and a man, believed to be the gunman's close family members — inside his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, spotted by drone.
• The total death toll from the Krakow shooting is now nine: six people killed in the Main Market Square and three at the gunman's home.
• The six people killed in the square were four women and two men, including a British citizen; 15 people were injured, one police officer in very serious condition.
• Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the 25-year-old attacker held "very radical views" and was fascinated by far-right ideologies.
• Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the attack an "act of terror"; Poland will hold two days of national mourning.

What Happened

The gunman drove into Kraków's Main Market Square, known as Rynek Główny, at about 3 p.m. local time on Saturday, November 7, 2026, and opened fire from his car with an automatic weapon, stopping at several points around the square as he fired. Wearing military-style clothing, the 25-year-old Polish citizen fired at people in one of Europe's largest medieval squares on a busy Saturday afternoon, before police shot and wounded him and took him to hospital.

Six people were killed in the square — four women and two men, including a British citizen — and 15 people were injured, among them police officers. One officer was in very serious condition with three gunshot wounds, according to Polish officials. The suspect's name has not been officially released.

Hours later, the investigation widened sharply. Police searching the gunman's home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a town about 150 kilometres (93 miles) northeast of Kraków, found the bodies of three people inside the house. The bodies were spotted by a police drone. The three are believed to be the gunman's close family members — reportedly his parents and his sister — but they have not yet been formally identified.

Background: The Square and the Attack

Rynek Główny, the Main Market Square, is the historic heart of Poland's second city, ringed by the Cloth Hall and St Mary's Basilica. The attack brought armed police and ambulances into a square that is normally one of the busiest public spaces in Central Europe.

Polish police moved quickly to cordon off the square and to trace the gunman, a 25-year-old Polish citizen. Officers shot and wounded him at the scene before taking him to hospital, where he remained under guard. No motive was given in the first hours after the shooting, when the confirmed toll stood at five dead and at least 12 injured.

That picture changed on Saturday evening, when Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the discovery at the gunman's home. The three additional deaths raised the toll to nine and opened a second line of inquiry: whether the attack began at the house in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski before the gunman drove to Kraków.

Krakow Shooting: Three Bodies Found at the Gunman's Home

The discovery at the house is now central to the investigation. Police found the three bodies inside the home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski after a drone spotted them, and the victims are believed to be the gunman's parents and sister. Formal identification has not yet been completed, and officials have not said how or when the three died, or whether their deaths came before the attack in Kraków.

Investigators have also begun to build a picture of the gunman himself. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the attacker was fascinated with far-right ideologies and held "very radical views", and authorities have also described his views as ultranationalistic. The suspect, a 25-year-old Polish citizen, has not been named officially, and police have not said whether he had any previous criminal record or had been known to the security services.

The home is now a sealed crime scene, and forensic teams are expected to spend days there.

Reactions and Quotes

Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the discovery of the three bodies on Saturday evening, hours after the shooting, as the death toll rose. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz went further in characterising the attack, calling it an "act of terror" — the first time a senior Polish official has used that description for the shooting.

Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, speaking about the gunman's background, said the attacker was fascinated with far-right ideologies and held "very radical views". The description, from the minister responsible for Poland's police, is the clearest official statement yet about a motive for the attack.

Kraków's mayor declared a period of mourning in the city until November 11, and Poland will hold two days of national mourning. The focus for now remains on the injured, one of whom remains in very serious condition.

Why It Matters

The Krakow shooting is now one of the deadliest attacks in Poland in years, and the discovery of three more bodies at the gunman's home has turned a public attack into a case with two crime scenes and a political dimension. The interior minister's account of the attacker's far-right views and the defence minister's description of the shooting as an act of terror will shape how Poland responds — in its policing of extremist ideology, in its protection of crowded public places, and in the national debate that follows a mass killing in a city square.

What Happens Next

Police are expected to release more details once the three people found at the home are formally identified, and investigators will work to establish the sequence of events between Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski and Kraków. The wounded gunman remains in hospital under police guard, and no date has been set for any court appearance.

Poland's two days of national mourning will be observed across the country, and Kraków's city mourning runs until November 11.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many people were killed in the Krakow shooting?
Nine people in total: six killed in Kraków's Main Market Square and three found dead at the gunman's home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.

Who was the gunman?
A 25-year-old Polish citizen. His name has not been officially released, and police have not said whether he was previously known to the authorities.

What do we know about the motive?
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the attacker was fascinated with far-right ideologies and held "very radical views". Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the attack an "act of terror".

Was a British citizen among the victims?
Yes. One of the six people killed in the Main Market Square was a British citizen.

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