Polish authorities opened a terrorism investigation on Sunday, as people gathered in Krakow's main square carrying candles and flowers to honor the six people killed there on Saturday by a gunman whom authorities said was "fascinated by far-right ideologies."
The gunman is suspected of killing a total of nine people, after three more bodies were found at his home in Ostrowiec Świntokjiski, about 150 kilometers northeast of Krakow. Police said the victims were members of his family.
The public prosecutor's office announced Sunday that it had opened an investigation into an act "of a terrorist nature."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the shooting, expressing his "deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Poland," his spokesman said in a statement Sunday.
On Saturday, a 24-year-old Polish man opened fire indiscriminately in the heart of Krakow's historic city in an attack described by Prime Minister Donald Tusk as "terrorist."
Police confirmed that a British citizen was among the dead, while authorities told the PAP news agency that citizens of Austria, Britain, Germany, Portugal, and Russia were among the 15 wounded.
Among the six dead were a British and an Austrian citizen.
The attacker was shot by police during the attack and is currently in critical condition in the hospital. Two police officers were also injured.
Poland is generally considered a safe country with a low incidence of violence.
However, recent months have seen several knife attacks in educational institutions, which Prime Minister Donald Tusk attributed to a "culture of violence" fueled by social media.
- "Terrorism from within" -
Despite this, Poles have not experienced a crime like the one that occurred on Saturday since the end of the communist era (1944-1989).
"For nearly a decade, the talk has been about the external terrorist threat. But terrorism has struck Poland from within," the Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper reported on Sunday.
"I'm in shock and deep sorrow," 27-year-old Krakow resident Veronika Wilar told AFP on Sunday. "Krakow is truly one of the safest places in the world... I never expected something like this to happen to us," she added, saying, "Our city will never be the same."
"We've heard about several similar incidents in other parts of Europe," 28-year-old tour guide Krzysztof Stepien told AFP. "Nothing like this has ever happened here before, and I hope it never happens again."
Two police officers were wounded during the pursuit of the suspect, who was wearing a mask, military fatigues, and a bulletproof vest.
Police said he abandoned his car at an intersection and opened fire on the officers with a semi-automatic rifle.
A mass was held at 4:00 PM (3:00 PM GMT) presided over by Cardinal Gregor Resch, Archbishop of Krakow, to whom Pope Leo XIV sent his condolences and expressed his "spiritual closeness" to the victims.
- "Without hesitation" -
The PAP news agency quoted the Interior Ministry as saying that one of the police officers was in serious but stable condition. Police appealed for blood donations for the officer, identified as "Jakub Kulik, who confronted the armed attacker without hesitation."
By Sunday, both officers had regained consciousness, and hundreds of Poles had gathered at blood donation centers.
Images on social media showed the two officers firing at the gunman, with one of them hitting him despite already being wounded.
On Sunday morning, the usually bustling site of the attack was cordoned off with red and white security tape. People gathered to light candles, while police searched the bags of employees at cafes and restaurants in the square. Most souvenir shops remained closed.
Black flags and Polish flags with black ribbons were raised throughout the city, and Warsaw declared two days of national mourning for the victims, beginning Sunday.
- Bodies of his relatives -
Media identified the suspect as Michal O.
Regional police stated on social media that the three bodies found in his apartment—those of a 53-year-old man and two women aged 52 and 21—were those of his parents and sister.
Police indicated that the bodies had injuries, which initial assessments suggested were caused by gunshot wounds. They also noted that seven firearms were seized from the apartment.
Interior Minister Marcin Kerwinski said that police also found weapons in the suspect's car, explaining that "all indications suggest he was captivated by far-right ideologies."
Polish media quoted investigators confirming that Michal O. had no prior criminal record. He was a member of a shooting club with his father.
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