POLAND — Local police confirmed reports of shots fired in Krakow’s Main Market Square on November 7, the U.S. Embassy in Poland said in a security alert that day, and advised U.S. citizens to avoid the area while the situation was monitored.
Małopolska regional police stated that five people were killed and about a dozen injured, including two police officers, after a man drove a car onto the square around 3:00 PM local time and began firing at random from the vehicle.
Police said the perpetrator, who was wearing military-style attire and used a long military-type weapon, was shot by officers during the arrest, returned fire wounding two officers, and was transported to hospital.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was being kept informed by the interior minister about the tragic shooting and that police were investigating the background and all circumstances of the attack.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński was heading to the scene, a ministry spokesperson said.
Locations Affected
The shooting occurred in Krakow’s Main Market Square, also known as Rynek Główny, in the historic center of Krakow, Poland.
Approximate coordinates are 50.061 N, 19.937 E, derived from the named square’s central location because no precise impact point was released.
Emergency services also operated on nearby Dietla Street.
