Poland mass shooting assailant dies in hospital, police say

What the report says

Polish police said the man accused of carrying out last week’s mass shooting in central Krakow has died in hospital, days after officers shot and detained him shortly after the attack. Al Jazeera, citing police and other authorities, reported that the 24-year-old opened fire from a car in Krakow’s historic Main Market Square, a busy tourist area, killing six people and injuring more than a dozen.

The shooting has prompted a major investigation in Poland. Prosecutors have opened a case treating the violence as a possible act of terrorism, while the interior minister said investigators believe the suspect was drawn to far-right ideology. Authorities also said the suspect was found wearing military-style clothing and insignia that are being examined as part of the inquiry.

Police said several foreigners were among the dead and wounded. The victims included four women and two men, with nationals from Poland, the United Kingdom and Austria among those killed. Five foreigners were also reported wounded, including people from the UK, Portugal, Russia, Germany and Austria. The two officers who stopped the gunman were injured but were reported conscious after being hospitalized.

In the suspect’s family home, investigators found the bodies of his mother, father and sister. Police said Poland is observing two days of mourning, and mourners have left candles and flowers near the square, which is one of the country’s best-known landmarks and a major draw for visitors.