Drive-By Gunman Kills 6, Wounds 11 in European Tourist Hotspot

Małopolska Police said a Polish gunman opened fire Saturday at a popular tourist site in Kraków, killing six people and injuring at least 11 others.

Police said four women and two men were among those killed.

The gunman allegedly fired from a moving vehicle, appearing to target people at random. Civilians and police officers were injured during the attack in Kraków’s crowded Main Square.

Videos shared on social media showed people fleeing as gunshots echoed through the area.

Authorities said police shot and wounded the suspect during an exchange of gunfire. The scene has since been secured.

A woman reacts at the scene of a shooting near Kraków’s Main Market Square in Poland on November 7, 2026. (REUTERS/Jakub Porzycki TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

The suspect, identified by police only as a “citizen of the Republic of Poland,” was wearing military-style clothing and carrying a military-style rifle, Katarzyna Cisło, a Kraków police spokesperson, told Polish network TVN24.

Police also discovered multiple weapons and ammunition inside the suspect’s vehicle, Cisło said.

Małopolska Police issued a statement Saturday afternoon rejecting reports that an officer had been killed or that authorities were searching for another attacker.

“The only known perpetrator of the incident is in police custody,” officials said.

Emergency responders gather after a deadly shooting November 7, 2026, in Kraków’s Main Market Square. At least five people were killed and more were injured. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)

At about 3 p.m. local time, a public train driver reported that a man in a moving car had fired at his vehicle, shattering one of its windows.

Police cars, ambulances and a Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter converged on Main Square, located in Kraków, Poland’s second-largest city.

“In connection with the tragic incident that occurred in Kraków, National Police Commander Inspector General Marek Boroń is heading to the scene,” Polish Police said in a statement posted on X.

Emergency responders gather after a deadly shooting November 7, 2026, in Kraków’s Main Market Square. At least five people were killed and more were injured. (Omar Marques/Getty Images)

NEXT UP: Blood Pressure Medication Recalled Urgently Over Safety Risks

Polish leaders responded to the shooting with a series of statements shared on social media.

“My deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic attack in Kraków. My highest praise for the heroic police officers who risked their lives. And a heartfelt appeal to politicians of all stripes: do not exploit this tragedy. We will establish all the circumstances of this crime,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.

Tusk said police were working to determine the circumstances and details surrounding the attack.

FILE – Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said police are investigating the shooting at a popular tourist destination. (Jakub Orzechowski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl/Reuters)

Polish President Karol Nawrocki also addressed the shooting.

“I am deeply concerned by reports of the tragic events in central Kraków. My thoughts are with the victims, those injured and their families. I remain in contact with the relevant services and expect a full explanation of the circumstances surrounding these tragic events,” he wrote on X.

Nawrocki said the head of Poland’s National Security Bureau was traveling to Kraków to investigate.

Tom Rose, the U.S. ambassador to Poland, expressed his condolences in a post on X.

“We are just learning details of the horrific mass shooting in Kraków, a savage and murderous attack that’s shattered the peace of Poland,” Rose wrote. “America stands with Poland at this dark hour as Poland stands with her beloved citizens of Kraków.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the shooting “shocking” and offered condolences to the victims’ families in a statement on X.

“There can be no justification for this attack, and we trust the perpetrator will face justice,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We wish strength and a speedy recovery to the injured and to everyone affected by this tragedy. Ukraine stands in solidarity with Poland and the Polish people. People have the right to safety.”

Gun violence is extremely uncommon in Poland, which has one of the world’s lowest rates of firearm-related deaths—between 0.2 and 0.4 deaths per 100,000 residents, according to research by scientists at the Medical University of Gdansk.

The shooting occurred as Poland faces a constitutional crisis involving Tusk’s pro-European Union government and the national conservative opposition.

Nawrocki’s election as president on an opposition ticket has contributed to a parliamentary deadlock. His use of veto power to block appointments of prospective tribunal leaders has left Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal paralyzed.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.