Nine killed after gunman opens fire in Poland's Krakow square
A 24-year-old Polish national was arrested after shooting six people in a crowded square and leaving three bodies at his home.
A gunman killed six people in a crowded market square in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday, before being shot and arrested by police, according to India Today. The attacker, a 24-year-old Polish national, allegedly fired randomly from a car at around 3 pm local time. The victims in the square included four women and two men, with one British citizen among the deceased.
The death toll rose to nine after authorities discovered three more bodies at the suspect's residence in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, nearly 200 kilometres north of Krakow. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the three bodies, consisting of two women and a man, are suspected to be members of the gunman's immediate family.
Police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo stated the attacker wore military-style clothing and used military weapons. Police spokesperson Andrzej Fijolek added that the suspect used an AR-15 rifle and possessed a firearms licence. Many weapons and ammunition were also found in the suspect's vehicle.
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said investigators are examining if the shooter was influenced by far-right ideology. He noted that the swift police response prevented a much larger massacre. The Internal Security Agency and Military Counterintelligence Service are assisting with the investigation.
The shooting also injured five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia, and Britain, as well as two police officers. A tram driver also reported that his vehicle's cabin window was shattered during the incident.