Krakow massacre gunman named after hospital death as police officer fights for life

Polish authorities identify the 24-year-old attacker who killed six people in the city’s historic main square, as 15 victims remain in hospital and a seriously injured police officer fights for his life

The gunman who killed six people in a mass shooting in the Polish city of Krakow has died in hospital, police confirmed today.

The 24-year-old, named by Krakow’s municipal authorities as Michał O, died at 4.30am this morning, two days after opening fire on shoppers and tourists in the city’s historic Main Market Square.

Fifteen people remain in six hospitals across Krakow, including two police officers injured while tackling the attacker. Fourteen are in a stable condition, while one officer remains seriously ill despite being brought out of a coma.

The shooting happened shortly after 3pm on Saturday, 7 November, when the gunman drove into the busy square and began firing at passers-by.

Six people were killed, including a British national, before armed officers confronted the attacker in a gunfight. He was shot, arrested and taken to hospital in a critical condition.

Krzysztof Jan Klęczar, the governor of the Małopolska region, confirmed the gunman’s death in a statement.

“At 4:30 a.m., the perpetrator of the attack died in a Krakow hospital,” he said.

He added that the condition of the injured officer had not deteriorated since Sunday, describing the news as encouraging despite the seriousness of his injuries.

“The officer has been released from a coma and is under the care of the best doctors in Krakow and Małopolska,” he added.

Polish authorities have reported that the attacker held far-right views, while Prime Minister Donald Tusk has described the shooting as an act of terrorism.

Police and prosecutors are examining evidence from both locations to establish what led to the killings and whether anyone else was involved.

Officials revealed that more than 1,100 police officers took part in the emergency response and subsequent operation, alongside firefighters, paramedics and other emergency personnel.

According to Klęczar, city guards reached the scene within two minutes of the first emergency report, with police confronting the attacker shortly afterwards.

The gunman was apprehended within approximately six minutes of the initial call.

Investigators have since completed their work at the immediate scene, allowing the Main Market Square and surrounding streets to reopen to residents and tourists.

Evidence was collected under the supervision of seven prosecutors, with Poland’s Internal Security Agency also involved in the investigation.

Krakow has declared a period of mourning, with residents laying flowers and candles in memory of those killed.

Klęczar said the investigation would continue as authorities examined the circumstances of the attack and considered whether further measures were needed to protect public spaces.

“The perpetrator’s intention was to sow terror,” he said. “The perpetrator’s intention was certainly to instill the feeling that we are not safe here in Krakow.

“We are safe. The services are here and working.”

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_{Main image: A historic street in Krakow, Poland, with the tower of St Mary’s Basilica rising in the background, near the city’s Main Market Square where six people were killed in a mass shooting on 7 November. The 24-year-old gunman died in hospital two days later, while 15 injured people remained in hospital, including a seriously wounded police officer. Credit: Jade / Pexels}