3 bodies found at gunman's home after Poland shooting leaves 9 dead in Krakow

At least nine people were killed after a gunman opened fire in a crowded square in Poland's southern city of Krakow, triggering panic among residents and tourists. Six people were shot dead in the historic city centre, while three more bodies were later discovered at the suspect's residence, officials said on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Polish national allegedly fired randomly at people from a vehicle in the city's Main Market Square, one of Poland's most popular tourist attractions, at around 3 pm local time. Police officers intervened and arrested the suspect after shooting at him.

The incident has shocked Poland, a country that has traditionally considered itself safer than several Western European nations that have experienced similar attacks.

Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said investigators were examining whether the suspect had been influenced by far-right ideology.

"Everything points to the fact that the shooter was influenced by far-right ideology, a matter that will also be subject to investigation," Kierwinski told a news briefing.

He added that police officers and agents from the Internal Security Agency were investigating the scene as well as the suspect's family home.

Of the six people killed in the square, four were women and two were men. Police confirmed that a British citizen was among the victims. Five foreign nationals from Austria, Germany, Portugal, Russia and Britain were injured. Two police officers also sustained injuries during the incident.

Three bodies found at gunman's residence

The investigation took a fresh turn after authorities discovered three bodies at the suspect's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, nearly 200 kilometres north of Krakow.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the bodies belonged to two women and a man, adding that investigators suspected they were members of the suspect's immediate family.

"There are strong indications that they are members of his immediate family," Tusk said during a crisis meeting.

He also said authorities had deployed a drone to inspect the property because of concerns about possible security threats.

"We know that a significant amount of weaponry may be inside the house," he said.

Local media reported that residents of the building had been evacuated before counterterrorism officers entered the premises.

Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister coordinating Poland's special services, said the Internal Security Agency (ABW) and Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) were assisting with the investigation.

Gunman carried military-style weapons

Police spokesperson Katarzyna Cislo said the suspect was dressed in military-style clothing and had several weapons and ammunition in his vehicle.

"The shooter was wearing military-like clothes and used military weapons. Many ... weapons and ammunition were found in his vehicle too," she said.

Another police spokesperson, Andrzej Fijolek, told broadcaster TVN 24 that the suspect had used an AR-15 rifle and held a firearms licence.

Police identified him as a 24-year-old Polish citizen and confirmed that he was in custody.

"The only known perpetrator of the incident is in police custody," police said in a post on X. Authorities have not yet established a definitive motive for the shooting.

Investigators began receiving emergency calls at around 3 pm reporting that a man was firing from a vehicle and shooting randomly at people in the square.

Unverified videos circulating on social media showed people running for cover as gunshots rang out and police sirens sounded. Other footage appeared to show injured people lying on bloodstained pavement, with bystanders attempting to revive them.

A witness identified only as Konrad told news website Interia that he saw the attacker firing from the driver's side of a vehicle.

"I saw shots being fired from the driver's side window, and smoke was coming out. I ran to the police station in the main market square; when I burst inside, it was full of people hiding on the floor," he said.

Another witness, a 67-year-old man identified as Julek, told Reuters that a dark-coloured car suddenly appeared before its driver opened fire at a group of people and drove away.

"If we had been two minutes earlier, we might have been shot," he said.

The historic square, known for its restaurants, cafes and horse-drawn carriage rides, was thrown into panic as people scrambled to find shelter.

Police praised for preventing bigger massacre

Kierwinski praised the police officers who confronted the gunman, saying their quick response had prevented further casualties.

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

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

Meanwhile, the office of Polish President Karol Nawrocki announced that the country would observe national mourning on November 8 and 9.

"My thoughts are with the victims, those injured, and their families," Nawrocki wrote on X.

Condolences also poured in from across Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the shooting as "shocking" and expressed solidarity with the victims' families.

"On behalf of the Ukrainian people, and personally, I extend my sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," he wrote on X.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the incident "a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland".

The shooting comes amid growing concerns in Poland over violent incidents and the spread of extremist content online. A series of school stabbings in October had already raised alarm among authorities, who said online violent and extremist material had influenced some of those attacks.

The latest incident has added to concerns over public safety in the country, as investigators continue to establish the gunman's motive and the circumstances surrounding the deaths at his residence.