Poland finds no evidence of ideological motivation in Krakow's attack

O Polish prosecutors have today stated that, so far, there is no material evidence linking the actions of the Krakow sniper, who killed nine people and eventually also died, to a specific ideology.

“We have no element that allows us to state, categorically and responsibly, that [the shooter] was inspired by one ideology or another,” said Przemyslaw Nowak, spokesman for the National Public Prosecutor, at a press conference today.

“It’s too early to pronounce on motivations. We do not find obvious symbols that are usually associated with a specific political current, either extreme right or extreme left,” he added.

On Sunday, Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said that the shooter was “fascinate by the extreme right-wing ideologies”.

However, researchers now warn that in-depth investigations will be needed to understand their motivations and claim not to be able to confirm “in a categorical way” the minister’s statements.

Nevertheless, an investigation was opened by an act of a “terrorist nature”, to which the procedure concerning the murder of the shooter’s relatives was attached.

Michal Oksinski, shot several times by police, died today at 4:30 am, on the spot (03:40 in Lisbon), after having undergone three surgeries.

Oksinski is suspected of causing a total of nine deaths, including those of his parents and his sister, who were shot dead and found in his residence, located two hours from Krakow.

Wearing military uniforms, wearing a mask and helmet, and armed with a semi-automatic rifle, he opened fire from inside his vehicle against pedestrians in the vicinity of the Market Square in Krakow — a place very frequented by tourists — on Saturday, around 3:00 p.m., at the local time (14:00 in Lisbon).

Police intervened in a few minutes. Then a persecution began between the attacker — who was driving a black Subaru — and a local police team. At a crossroads, the shooter hit a parked vehicle, got out of his car and exchanged shots with two police officers, being seriously injured.

Six people died, including a 32-year-old British and a 51-year-old Austrian.

Another 15 people were injured, including two police officers and five foreign citizens: a Portuguese, a British, a Russian, a German and an Austrian.

According to today’s statements by regional authorities, the health status of the injured is “stable”.

According to the investigators cited by the Polish press, Michal Oksinski had no criminal record.

The young ra member, along with his father, of a shooting club, having been seized seven weapons in his residence.

The shooter took four weapons to Krakow — including two semi-automatic rifles — and about 500 ammunitions, the prosecutor reported.

His paternal grandmother revealed to the press that the shooter had obtained a license to carry weapons this year. The Interior Ministry has announced that it will initiate a review of the criteria for granting firearms possession permits.

Poland is experiencing a strong increase in the number of licenses for the possession of weapons: in 2025, more than 50,000 new permits were allocated, bringing the total to 411,000, according to the police.

“ The clothes of the author of the facts contained many different emblems,” said Karolina Galecka, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Interior.

“ There were many emblems and insignia associated with various reasons, which are being analyzed at this time,” he added, without specifying their nature.

Two days of national mourning were decreed on Sunday and today.