Krakow Mass Shooter Dies in Hospital as Police Probe Unclear Motive
Michau Oksinski, the gunman behind a mass shooting in Krakow that killed nine people, died in a hospital on Monday. His death deepens the mystery surrounding the motive of Poland's deadliest attack since 1989 as investigators continue their probe.
Michau Oksinski, the 24-year-old gunman who carried out a mass shooting in the Polish city of Krakow that left nine people dead, died of his injuries in the hospital on Monday. His death complicates ongoing efforts by investigators to determine the exact motive behind the deadliest rampage in Poland since the fall of communism in 1989.
The attack began on Saturday afternoon when Oksinski opened fire in Krakow's central square from a passing black car before exiting the vehicle to continue the assault. Six people were killed at the scene—four women and two men—and 15 others were wounded. Two police officers engaged the gunman in a shootout and neutralized him within three minutes despite sustaining injuries themselves. Oksinski was wearing a helmet, body armor, and military-style clothing, though authorities confirmed he was not a soldier.
Hours after the massacre, police searched Oksinski's home in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, located about 140 kilometers from Krakow, where they discovered the shot bodies of his 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister Magda, an art student in Krakow. Investigators believe he killed his family and the family's two cats before driving to Krakow to carry out the mass shooting. Among the victims in the central square were four Polish citizens, a British national, and an Austrian woman.
Following the tragedy, Polish authorities initially suggested that Oksinski held extreme right-wing views that motivated the attack. However, the government appeared to step back from those claims on Monday, with officials stating there is currently no concrete evidence linking the shooting to political ideology. Investigators are examining electronic devices and numerous badges and symbols found on the gunman's clothing and at his home, including a Gadsden flag.
Meanwhile, the two wounded police officers, Jakub Kulik and Artur Moranski, are recovering in the hospital and have been nominated for honorary citizenship of Krakow, with public fundraising campaigns raising over 6 million zlotys for them.
