Newly released video captures the moment a police officer confronted a suspected far-right gunman whose rampage in Krakow left a British national and eight other people dead.
The 25-year-old suspect allegedly killed his parents and sister at their home before driving into the city’s historic Main Market Square on Saturday afternoon and opening fire, killing six more people.
At least 15 people, including two police officers, were injured in the attack, which Prime Minister Donald Tusk described as a “truly exceptional tragedy”.
The gunman, a Polish national identified by local media as Michal Oksińsk, was wounded in a shootout with the two officers shortly after the attack and died from his injuries on Monday.
Local police confirmed his death in a post on X, writing: “We would like to inform you that the perpetrator of the tragic events died in hospital early this morning.”
Senior constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański were taken to hospital in critical condition.
The officers have been praised as heroes. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said: “They probably saved many human lives, disregarding the risk to their own.”
Polish Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek said their swift intervention “prevented further human casualties”.
The newly surfaced footage shows the officers leaving their vehicle and opening fire on the attacker near the square as he steps out of his car.
One officer is seen falling after being shot, while his colleague continues to keep the gunman in his sights.
Michal Oksiński (pictured by local media) allegedly murdered his family before driving into the city’s historic Main Market square and opening fire on crowds, killing six more people
Footage shows the heroic moment an injured police officer stumbles onto his feet to continue shooting the Krakow gunman
The two police officers and the alleged gunman all lie on the ground after sustaining serious injuries
Previous footage showed a brave police officer approaching the person believed to be the shooter
An image taken from footage of the attack appears to show the alleged attacker’s face
The second officer then drops to the ground and is shot again by the attacker.
As the gunman collapses from his wounds, the first officer forces himself back onto his feet and limps towards him. He fires another shot before falling to the ground himself.
The attacker remains motionless until additional emergency personnel arrive at the scene.
The suspect, who came from Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski in south-eastern Poland, drove a black Subaru into the crowded square before randomly firing a semi-automatic AR-15 rifle at about 3pm local time.
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He was wearing military-style green fatigues, along with what appeared to be a helmet and body armour.
Four women and two men were killed in the market square. Polish police commander Marek Boron said three of the victims were Polish and one was British.
The bodies of three relatives, believed to be the suspect’s parents and sister, were later found at his home.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office confirmed on Sunday that an investigation into the attack had been opened.
The inquiry is examining “the killing of six people… using a firearm, and the attempted murder of many others, including police officers, this act constituting a terrorist offence”.
Poland’s interior minister said the gunman may have been influenced by “far-Right ideologies” and held “very radical views”. He added that “many guns were found” inside the vehicle.
Images from the scene show the alleged gunman in military-style fatigues. The weapon, a rifle, lies on the ground nearby
Emergency personnel work at the site of the shooting near the main market square in Krakow
Police examine a vehicle after starting an investigation into the fatal shooting
People inside a shop at the site of the shooting near the main market square, with broken glass littering the floor
Police officers cordon off an area near the Main Market Square following the mass shooting
One of the officers involved in the exchange of gunfire was previously reported to have been shot three times and to have undergone surgery.
The suspect belonged to the Świt Starachowice sports shooting club, whose spokesperson confirmed that he had used its shooting range twice this year.
The club said it specialised in static sport shooting and had never trained the suspect in dynamic, tactical or combat shooting.
It said he had shown no troubling behaviour and confirmed that it was fully cooperating with investigators by providing all requested materials and information.
“We deeply regret this incident and offer our condolences to the families of the victims,” the spokesperson said.
Although the suspect was dressed in military-style clothing, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz rejected reports that he had been a soldier.
He called the shooting a “terror attack” and urged the country to remain united.