British national among six killed by 'far-right' gunman in Krakow rampage

A British national was among six people killed in a mass shooting in Krakow, according to Polish police.

It happened in the main market square - a popular destination with foreign tourists - at around 3pm local time on Saturday.

The attacker was in military-style clothing and wore a bulletproof vest as he shot people at random while driving a black car.

Two women and a man, believed to be family members, were also found at his home about 100 miles (160km) northeast of Krakow.

Video showed a police officer shooting the attacker multiple times from close range, before himself slowly collapsing.

Other footage showed blood on the floor and bystanders trying to resuscitate two victims. A third person appeared motionless nearby.

The gunman was described as "stable but very critical" after the attack, while a seriously injured officer was also said to be stable after having surgery.

The 25-year-old attacker is yet to been named but Polish interior minister Marcin Kierwinski said it's believed he was influenced by far-right ideology and has "ultra-nationalistic" views.

Authorities said four women and two men were killed in the rampage, which saw people run for cover and take refuge in the square's cafes and restaurants.

Sixteen people - including two police officers and a number of foreign nationals - were also wounded. There's been no update so far on their condition.

"The police prevented a ⁠much larger massacre that could have otherwise occurred," said the interior minister.

"They fired shots at the attacker just three minutes after ​receiving the report."

Police said more weapons and ammunition were found in the gunman's car, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said they suspected "a significant amount of weaponry" might also be at his home.

A drone was used to look inside the property in Ostrowiec Swietokrzysk and local media said residents were evacuated during a search by counter-terror police.

Police spokesperson Andrzej Fijolek told broadcaster TVN 24 the attacker used an AR-15 rifle in the Krakow attack and that he owned a firearms licence.

The city's mayor, Lukasz Gibala, has announced a period of mourning until Wednesday.

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Mass shootings are uncommon in Poland and the number of gun licences is low compared to some of its neighbours - around 411,000 among 37 million people.

Daniel Tillies, editor-in-chief at Notes from Poland, called the attack "a shocking, unprecedented event in Poland".

He told Sky News: "Violent crime is rare here, crime involving firearms is even rarer. And this kind of mass shooting is unheard of, has never happened in Poland before."

However, the country did suffer a spate of stabbing attacks in schools in the Mazovia province last month, leaving one dead and many wounded.

Authorities said the incidents were influenced by violent and extremist online content.

(c) Sky News 2026: British national among six killed by 'far-right' gunman in Krakow rampage