Terrorist Attack In Krakow: A Minute-by-Minute Recap Of Events

8.11.2026, 14:11

The shooting shocked the whole of Poland.

The terrorist attack in Krakow that took place on Saturday, November 7, shocked all of Poland. The attacker, wearing a mask and military clothing, drove to the Main Market Square and began shooting at people. After a chase, the terrorist, armed with a military rifle, was neutralized by two brave police officers who confronted him armed only with handguns. Both sustained serious injuries.

The attacker—a 24-year-old Polish citizen—was wounded, detained, and taken to the hospital. In the home of Michał O, who opened fire on people in Kraków, in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, the bodies of two women and a man with gunshot wounds were found. Police confirmed that the victims were the attacker’s 52-year-old mother, his 53-year-old father, and his 20-year-old sister.

The police officers injured in Kraków—Senior Patrolmen Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski—who apprehended the attacker are in the hospital in serious condition. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the police officers heroes. Authorities have urged the public to donate blood for them.

Detailed account of events

On Sunday, the Governor of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship Krzysztof Klenczar presented a detailed account of the terrorist attack and the pursuit of the assailant during a press conference. He explained that among those injured in Saturday’s attack in Kraków were 11 Poles and 5 foreigners; one of them is in serious condition, while the attacker is in critical condition, according to Fakt.

The first report of the shooting came in 15 seconds after 3:00 p.m. on Saturday (5:00 p.m. in Minsk). In total, the emergency call center received 40 reports.

Less than two minutes later, the municipal police (Straż Miejska) arrived on the scene.

Three minutes later, the first police patrol arrived on the scene and began taking active measures. An exchange of gunfire ensued.

Four minutes later, the first ambulance crews arrived on the scene.

The fire department began operations at 3:06 p.m. (5:06 p.m. Minsk time).

At the same time, at 3:06 p.m. (5:06 p.m. Minsk time), following a chase and a collision with a passing passenger car, the assailant was surrounded and subdued by two young police officers.

The provincial governor reported that a total of 1,146 police officers from the Lesser Poland Province and beyond, 24 crews from the State Fire Service, and 62 firefighters and rescue workers participated in the operation.

IMMEDIATE RESPONSE. SWIFT AND DECISIVE ACTION. THIS IS HOW THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE UNFOLDED IN KRAKOW.
We would like to inform you that emergency services took immediate action, and police officers very quickly came face-to-face with the armed assailant.
What happened minute by minute?
📍 3:00:15 p.m. – The first reports come in to the Provincial Emergency Dispatch Center. A total of nearly 40 reports were recorded.
📍 2nd minute – City guards are already on the scene.
📍 3rd minute – Police officers intervene. An exchange of gunfire ensues with the assailant. Officers give chase. Other patrols, dispatched to the scene by the dispatcher, join them.
📍 4th minute – emergency medical teams arrive on the scene.
📍 6th minute—the first units of the State Fire Department arrive.
The scale of the forces deployed also speaks for itself:
🔹 30 police crews dispatched to the scene.
🔹 24 units of the State Fire Department and 62 firefighters and rescue workers.
Faced with a real threat, the officers sprang into action. They did not weigh the risks. They intervened, risking their own lives to stop the attacker and protect others. Two of them were injured.
In connection with the incident, over a thousand police officers were involved—from patrol officers, who were the first to arrive at the scene, to officers securing the incident area and members of counterterrorism units, to officers conducting investigative procedures on-site alongside prosecutors.
This massive mobilization of numerous police forces and services was driven by a shared goal: to bring the situation under control, apprehend the perpetrator, and ensure public safety.
— Polish Police 🇵🇱 (@PolskaPolicja) November 8, 2026