A 24-year-old gunman killed six people and injured 15, including two police officers, in a terrorist attack on Kraków's Main Market on November 7.
The attacker, identified as Michał O., drove a black Subaru onto the market square on Saturday afternoon. He opened fire on random passersby. Hours later, police found the bodies of his father, mother and sister with gunshot wounds in his apartment in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The gunman died in hospital on Monday.
As of Friday, 10 victims remained hospitalized in five Kraków hospitals. One woman was discharged that day, and the regional governor's spokesman said the condition of the injured was systematically improving.
The Ministry of Finance published draft regulations on Friday exempting donations to the victims and their families from inheritance and gift tax. The exemption applies to gifts made between November 7, 2026 and December 31, 2027. It covers those injured in the attack, spouses, descendants and ascendants of the deceased, and parents of those killed in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The ministry also proposed extending the deadline for filing tax returns on such gifts from one month to 12 months.
Prosecutors have established the route the gunman took but have not disclosed details. They are investigating the motive and examining the weapon. Investigators seized a gun safe, weapons and ammunition from the car, as well as phones and a computer from the apartment.
According to Wirtualna Polska, the attacker was inspired by real crimes and notorious dictators. He followed accounts praising Adolf Hitler and shared memes about Ted Kaczynski. He also organized "virtual terrorist attacks" in a computer game on Steam and followed pro-Russian content on Roblox and Discord.
Police officers who subdued the gunman were injured and lacked bulletproof vests, according to WNP. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said more patrols armed with long guns would be deployed on Polish streets.
Eleven people have been detained in Poland for supporting the attack, facing charges of apologizing for the killings, spreading panic and disinformation. A man who publicly praised the attack on November 11 and threatened others was charged and placed under police supervision. Online fundraisers have collected over 7 million złoty for police officers Artur Morański and Jakub Kulik, who overpowered the gunman.
Kraków's coachmen returned to the Main Market on Saturday, saying they would not be terrorized. Four of them were injured in the attack. Christmas markets across Poland will operate under special supervision in the coming weeks. In 2025, Kraków received 16.5 million visitors and its airport served 13.2 million passengers.
