The alleged gunman suspected of killing at least six people and injuring over a dozen more in Kraków, Poland, on Saturday has been identified by authorities as a 24-year-old Polish man.
UPDATE 2225: Poland Police said on Saturday evening that a search of the suspected shooter’s residence in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski uncovered the bodies of three people, including two women and a man.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said of the found bodies: “This is truly an exceptional tragedy. There are many indications that these are members of the immediate family.”
Internal Affairs Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the suspect appeared to be interested in far-right ideology; however, he said this still needs to be investigated.
The original story continues as follows…
According to the local Gazeta Krakowska newspaper, the suspected attacker drove a Subaru car with a licence plate from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, a city two hours north of Kraków, before opening fire on pedestrians on Sławkowska Street and later Market Square in central Krakow on Saturday.
The man, who has been identified as a 24-year-old Polish man, was dressed in military-style garb during the attack and is said to have used an AR-15 rifle, shooting and killing six people and injuring at least 15 more. The suspected attacker was shot by the police and taken to hospital where he underwent surgery.
“He fired shots at the police, and the police returned fire. We don’t know his identity. He was dressed in military clothing and was using a military-style weapon. There were a lot of weapons and ammunition in his car. A dozen or so people were injured; they were accidental victims,” a Provincial Police spokesman said.
Police further said that they believe there was only one shooter, however, it remains to be seen if the suspect had any accomplices in planning or carrying out the attack. Police have also yet to establish a motive for the attack, or if the attacker was mentally disturbed.
Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz denied rumours that the suspect was a member of the armed forces, writing on X: “The man was not and is not a soldier of the Polish Army and has never had anything to do with the military.”
Polish news outlet Onet identified the alleged shooter as “Michał O.” from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. According to the report, he had a permit for two firearms and his father is licensed to own a firearm and owns 11 weapons. The outlet reported that neither the son or father had a criminal record.
