Foto: BB.LV / разбитое стекло и две кофейные кружки
### Attack in the center of Krakow: what happened On Saturday around 3:00 PM, a man drove his car onto the Main Market Square in Krakow and opened fire on the people there. As a result, six people died, and another 16 were injured. Among the injured are police officers who intervened in the situation and the attacker himself. Police opened fire on the shooter. According to Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek, the first shots from the police sounded about three minutes after the attack began. The suspect was wounded and apprehended. He is in the hospital in critical condition. Investigators have classified the incident as a terrorist act. If the man survives and his guilt is proven, he could face life imprisonment. ### Three family members were killed before the attack During the investigation, police discovered the bodies of three people with gunshot wounds in an apartment in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski. The deceased were the suspect's 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister. According to Zurek, after killing his relatives, Michal O. gathered weapons and ammunition, got into a car belonging to his father, and headed to Krakow. The minister reported that the suspect's father legally owned a significant amount of firearms. Michal O. himself was a member of a shooting club and also had a permit to possess firearms. The investigation still needs to determine which weapons belonged to the suspect and which to his father. ### "We have evidence that sheds light on this drama" In an interview with TVP, Waldemar Zurek stated that the investigation is considering various motives for the attack. > "We do not know whether these motives were related to family problems or if there were completely different reasons, but we cannot rule out the very motives that underlie such dramatic events," said the minister. According to him, investigators already have evidence that could help establish the reasons for the tragedy, but it is premature to disclose their content. The police are examining the suspect's belongings, materials found in his home, as well as phone and internet contacts. Zurek considers it quite likely that the man acted alone during the attack. At the same time, the investigation is checking whether other individuals or organizations could have been involved with him. Seven prosecutors are participating in the investigation, including representatives from the National Prosecutor's Office's organized crime and corruption unit. ### Neighbors could not believe that this happened near them Residents of Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, where the suspect's family lived, told the Polish Press Agency PAP that they are shocked by what happened. > "This is a quiet neighborhood. There have never been fights here," said local resident Elvira. She knew the suspect's mother, who worked at the Biedronka supermarket, and remembers her as a friendly and kind woman. Neighbors describe Michal O. as a reclusive person. > "He parked and immediately went to the stairwell. Although he has lived here for over ten years, he has no friends. He is not the type to talk to anyone," said city resident Renata. After the tragedy, some locals began to fear for their own safety. Elvira said her children are scared by what happened, and her daughter is afraid to walk past the place where the attacker's deceased relatives were found. At the same time, the motives for the crime remain unknown, and the neighbors' descriptions alone do not explain the suspect's actions. ### Mourning declared in Krakow After the attack, the Main Market Square was closed for investigative actions. It was reopened to residents and tourists on Sunday evening. People began to bring flowers and light candles at the sites of the victims' deaths, including near St. Mary's Basilica and on Szewska and Sienna streets. Mourning has been declared in Krakow until November 11 inclusive. National mourning in Poland lasted from Sunday to Monday. On Monday, November 9, a book of condolences will open at the city hall. Entries can be made until Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. An electronic book of condolences will also be available. At 8:00 PM on Monday, a solidarity rally in memory of the victims is planned at the Main Market Square. > "There are no words to express my pain after the tragedy that has broken the hearts of all of us. My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims. Their suffering is the suffering of all of Krakow today," wrote the city's mayor, Lukasz Gibała.
