The 24-year-old man who opened fire on passers-by in the historic center of Krakow died in a hospital on Monday, two days after the attack that left six dead and 16 injured. The investigation remains open while the Polish Government and the opposition maintain a confrontation over the attacker's possible links to the extreme right.
First modification: 11/09/2026 - 14:06
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The alleged perpetrator of the massacre was identified as Michal Oksinski, a 24-year-old Polish citizen who was seriously injured during a confrontation with the Police, minutes after starting to shoot at people who were in Krakow's Main Market Square. The young man remained hospitalized in police custody and had undergone several surgical interventions.
The attack occurred on Saturday afternoon, when Oksinski drove his vehicle into one of the main tourist areas of the city and opened fire on passers-by. Six people were killed, including a British citizen, and 16 others were injured. According to the Prosecutor's Office, four firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition were found in the car and among the attacker's belongings.
The death of the suspect does not end the investigations. Authorities are trying to determine what led him to commit the attack and whether he acted on his own initiative or under the influence of an organization.
Suspicions of links with the extreme right confront the Government and the opposition
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński had initially indicated that the attacker was fascinated by far-right ideologies. However, the Prosecutor's Office acknowledged this Monday that there are still insufficient elements to establish his motivations.
During a search of his room, investigators found a yellow flag with a snake and the inscription "Don't tread on me," known as the Gadsden flag. The spokesman for the National Prosecutor's Office, Przemyslaw Nowak, explained that the symbol, originating from the American Revolution, can represent different ideas linked to freedom or rebellion and that it does not in itself constitute proof of extremism.
The Government's initial statements provoked a harsh reaction from the nationalist opposition. The leader of the Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, described claims about alleged far-right motivations as a "blatant lie."
Given the controversy, government spokesman Adam Szlapka asked to avoid early conclusions until investigators have all the information. For his part, the Minister of Justice, Waldemar Zurek, assured that the investigations will continue despite the death of the attacker.
They are also investigating the deaths of three relatives
The investigation extends to the town of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, where authorities found the bodies of the suspect's parents and sister, all with gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Oksinski could also be responsible for those three deaths.
Both the attacker and his father had weapons permits, according to the Prosecutor's Office. The Government announced that it will review the requirements to obtain these authorizations, in a country unaccustomed to episodes of armed violence of this magnitude.
Read also"I am devastated": Poland's shock after the deadly shooting in Krakow
Meanwhile, 15 of the injured remain hospitalized. Fourteen are stable and one of the police officers who participated in the arrest remains in serious condition.
The massacre shocked Poland, where Prime Minister Donald Tusk described what happened as an "attack" and declared two days of national mourning. The Prosecutor's Office maintains an open investigation for a possible crime of terrorism, although it has not yet determined the motive for the attack.
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