Poland opens terrorism investigation after deadly Kraków shooting
Polish prosecutors announced on Sunday that they had opened an investigation into an act of a "terrorist nature" following a shooting in the southern city of Kraków that left six people dead and 15 injured, AFP reported, CE Report quotes MOLDPRES.
The investigation concerns the killing of six people in Kraków, an act described as a "terrorist offence", as well as the deaths of three other people at the attacker's home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.
Poland is observing the first day of national mourning on Sunday, which will continue on Monday. Flags have been lowered to half-mast, candles have been lit and religious services are being held following Saturday's attack in a square in central Kraków. The attacker was a young Polish man reportedly "fascinated" by far-right extremist ideas.
The square, located in the heart of the historic old town and popular with tourists, remained closed to visitors. Most cafés, restaurants and souvenir shops in the area also kept their doors shut, according to AFP journalists.
Some residents asked police officers stationed at the scene to allow them through the security cordon to leave candles at the site of the tragedy, but their requests were denied.
Investigators were retracing the attacker's movements in search of evidence and witness testimonies.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland, an Eastern European country with a population of 38 million that was devastated by Nazi forces during World War II, has once again faced the threat of war along its borders. Nevertheless, Poland is generally considered a safe country, where acts of violence are relatively rare.
However, several knife attacks have taken place in educational institutions in recent months, involving young perpetrators. Prime Minister Donald Tusk attributed these incidents to a "cult of violence" fuelled by social media.
Following the tragedy, the trumpet call that traditionally sounds every hour from the tower of St. Mary's Basilica, located in Kraków's main square, fell silent on Saturday evening. This marks the first such interruption since 1939.
Photo: Chat GPT
