6 dead, 16 wounded in mass shooting at tourist-packed square in Krakow, Poland

A mass shooting in the heart of Krakow, one of Poland's most visited cities, left 6 people dead and 16 others wounded Saturday. The suspect, a 25-year-old Polish man with far-right views, opened fire on tourists and residents from a vehicle in the city's main square before being arrested after a shootout with police.

The attack occurred around 3 p.m. Saturday (local time) in the Main Market Square of Krakow's historic old town, according to Reuters and other news agencies. Krakow is Poland's second-largest city.

Local authorities confirmed that 6 people had been killed and 16 wounded as of Saturday.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said one of the dead was a foreign national and that 5 of the injured taken to hospital were also foreigners.

The gunman wore clothing resembling combat fatigues and a bulletproof vest and used what appeared to be a military-style rifle.

He fired at people in the square from inside a vehicle before attempting to flee.

Police responded after receiving reports that a vehicle was firing on pedestrians in the Main Market Square.

The suspect exchanged gunfire with officers who arrived at the scene, was shot and arrested on the spot, and was later taken to hospital for surgery.

Two police officers were also wounded in the exchange of fire.

The number of casualties rose as the gunman drove recklessly through the square. Two horses pulling a tourist carriage were also shot.

Police believe the suspect acted alone. Multiple weapons and ammunition were found in the vehicle used in the attack.

The Polish government classified the incident as a terrorist attack driven by extremist ideology and launched an investigation.

Interior Minister Kierwiński said the suspect had been radicalized by far-right ideology, adding that evidence gathered so far indicated he held extremely radical views.

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz also described the attack as a "terrorist attack" targeting the people of Krakow.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that "what happened today in Krakow has shaken all of Poland."

He added that police were investigating the motive and circumstances of the attack, and that he was heading to Krakow to assess the situation and coordinate the response.

Mass shootings of this scale are highly unusual in Poland.

According to the Associated Press, about 411,000 people out of Poland's population of about 37 million own firearms — just over 1 percent of the total population. However, interest in gun ownership has been growing of late.

The EU described the incident as a "tragedy" and expressed solidarity with Poland.

Krakow is a historic city of 800,000 people located about 250 kilometers south of the Polish capital Warsaw. Its old town is entirely designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and draws about 15 million tourists a year.

The Main Market Square where the shooting took place is considered one of the largest medieval squares in Europe.