Poland began two days of national mourning on Sunday following a mass shooting in Krakow that killed six people and wounded 15 others. The 24-year-old attacker, who police say held "very radical" and "ultranationalistic" views, opened fire in the city's Main Square, a popular tourist hub, before police shot and wounded him.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński stated that everything indicates the attacker was "fascinated by far-right ideologies." The attack, described by Poland's defense minister as an "act of terror," occurred on Saturday. By Sunday evening, mourners had left candles in the square, which remained partially closed as authorities continued their investigation.
Authorities also discovered the bodies of the attacker's sister, mother, and father at his family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) northeast of Krakow. Police believe the family members died from gunshot wounds.
Of the six victims killed in the Main Square shooting, four were women and two were men. Three women and one man were Polish citizens. A man from the United Kingdom and a woman from an unidentified foreign country were also among the deceased. Five foreign nationals were among those wounded, hailing from the UK, Portugal, Russia, Germany, and Austria.
The two police officers who intervened to stop the attacker remain hospitalized. One is in a coma, while the other has regained consciousness. Officials launched an appeal for blood donations for the critically injured officer. "If it weren’t for the efficient and selfless intervention of these two young men, the number of victims could have been significantly higher," said Krzysztof Jan Klęczar, the Malopolska regional governor.
The attacker is also in critical condition after undergoing multiple surgeries. His father legally owned over 10 firearms, and the attacker also possessed guns. Around 411,000 people in Poland, which has a population of 37 million, hold gun permits, with gun ownership interest on the rise.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland. However, the country experienced three attacks at schools in the central province of Mazovia within four days in mid-October, resulting in one death and numerous injuries, including among children. Those attackers used knives or other sharp objects.
Kacper Rekawek, a senior researcher at the International Center for Counterterrorism in The Hague, noted that the Krakow attacker's military gear and weapons bore similarities to those used by "extreme right lone actors" in attacks across Europe. "We have had attempts before, but now we can say that these kinds of attacks have become successful in Poland," Rekawek stated.