KRAKOW, Poland — At least six people were killed and 15 others wounded when a gunman opened fire on people in the historic centre of Krakow, southern Poland, police and officials said.
The shooting occurred at around 3:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Saturday in the city's Main Market Square, a popular tourist destination, when a man drove into the area and began firing randomly from his vehicle, according to Małopolska regional police.
The victims included four women and two men. A British national was among those killed, while five foreign nationals were among the injured, police said.
The suspected attacker, a 24-year-old Polish citizen, was shot and wounded by police during an exchange of fire before being detained and taken to hospital for treatment.
Police said the suspect acted alone and that the public was no longer in danger.
Two police officers were among the wounded, with one reported to be in critical condition. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said officers returned fire during the arrest, while the suspect continued shooting.
Authorities said the gunman was wearing military-style clothing and a bulletproof vest. Several other weapons and ammunition were also found inside his vehicle.
The shooting unfolded at several locations around the square, prompting people to flee into nearby streets and seek shelter in surrounding buildings. A tram passing nearby was also hit by gunfire, shattering the driver's cabin window, although no passengers or the driver were injured.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk travelled to Krakow following the attack and praised police officers for their response.
Interior Minister Kierwinski said preliminary findings suggested the suspect was influenced by far-right ideology and held ultranationalist views. Investigators were continuing to establish the motive behind the attack.
Tusk later described the shooting as an act of terrorism, calling it an unprecedentedly serious attack on civilians in Poland.
In a further development, police found three bodies at the suspect's home in the northeastern city of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, about 150 kilometres from Krakow, the prime minister said. Authorities said the victims were believed to be close relatives of the suspect.
The discovery added another dimension to the investigation, although officials had not established a definitive link between the deaths and the shooting.
Poland's President Karol Nawrocki expressed condolences to the victims and their families, while European officials also voiced shock over the attack.
The city of Krakow announced a period of mourning through November 11, as authorities continued investigating one of the country's deadliest recent mass shootings.
Mass shootings are relatively rare in Poland, although a series of violent incidents in recent months has raised concerns about public safety.
GO WORLD
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