Kraków square shooting kills six as Martin condemns 'callous' attack

The attack unfolded just after 3pm local time, 2pm in Ireland, when a man drove onto Kraków's Main Square and began firing at random, according to police. Four women and two men were killed. At least 15 more people were wounded, two of them police officers, with one officer still fighting for his life in critical condition.

Kraków police confirmed on X that the alleged gunman, a Polish citizen, is in custody. Investigators have not yet pinned down a motive, and the inquiry is ongoing.

Micheál Martin reacted on X, saying he was shocked by the mass shooting in the city's main square. The Taoiseach said his thoughts were with the Polish people, the victims and their families and friends, and the first responders who rushed toward what he called a callous attack on a busy Saturday.

Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee also paid tribute to the victims and their families. She said Ireland's embassy in Warsaw is watching the situation closely, and urged any Irish citizens in the area to follow instructions from local authorities.

Condemnation poured in from across Europe. The EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas described it as a tragedy that will be felt far beyond Poland, adding that the country does not stand alone in its grief. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there can be no justification for the attack and voiced confidence that the perpetrator will face justice, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Germany stands shoulder to shoulder with Poland as a friend and partner.

Polish authorities are still piecing together what led to the shooting, with the square at the heart of one of the country's busiest tourist cities now at the centre of a major investigation.