Krakow mourners march in silence as Polish leaders unite after shooting

Thousands of mourners walked silently through central Krakow on Monday night to remember those killed and wounded in the weekend shooting. Poland's president and prime minister, usually bitter political opponents, led the procession in a rare display of unity following the country's deadliest attack in modern times. A bugler played from a tower as the crowd entered the historic Market Square.

People brought candles and flowers to memorials marking the places where victims died. The attack has deeply unsettled a country proud of its reputation for safety. Two days after the shooting, customers were returning to shops and cafes around the square, although the atmosphere remained subdued. A Zara store whose windows were shattered by bullets was still boarded up.

Local media identified the suspected attacker as Michal Oksinski, 24. He was critically wounded in an exchange of fire with police and died in hospital early on Monday without regaining consciousness. Investigators found the bodies of his parents and sister at his home. He is alleged to have shot them before travelling about 200km south to Krakow and continuing the attack.

The motive remains unclear. Although the interior minister initially attributed the violence to far-right extremism, the national prosecutor's office said it was too early to establish whether an ideology had inspired him. Investigators are examining his electronic devices and badges attached to his military-style clothing. A prosecution spokesman said a yellow Gadsden flag found in his bedroom could represent freedom or rebellion and did not necessarily have a negative meaning.

Among the six victims, one has been identified as a Polish painter in her 50s, a mother of four who had travelled to Krakow with friends for an exhibition opening. A British citizen and an Austrian who were killed have not been publicly named. Several drivers of the horse-drawn carriages used to take tourists around the square suffered serious injuries.

Witnesses described confusion and fear as the gunman drove through the area, firing from his car window. Jo, a Scottish tourist, initially thought the shots were fireworks before seeing paramedics try to save a local man in his 50s outside Zara. Olha, a Ukrainian chocolate shop worker who moved to Krakow after Russia's invasion, sheltered people fleeing the attack. She said residents and workers were now nervous.

Police found four firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in Oksinski's vehicle. The weapons were legally owned by him and his father, both members of the Swit Starachowice sports club. A club spokesman described Oksinski's behaviour as normal and his competition results as average. He had visited three times this year, most recently with his father in August.

The government announced an urgent review on Monday amid scrutiny of the checks required to handle firearms, including psychological tests that Oksinski had passed. Gun ownership has increased considerably in Poland since the war began across the border in Ukraine. The shooting club spokesman stressed that its instruction involved firing from a fixed position, rather than combat shooting.

A separate memorial honours officers who remain in hospital after confronting the suspect. Officer Jakub Kulik, who was shot in the chest, remains in serious condition. Residents left flowers and messages wishing the police a recovery. For mourner Ania, the suspect's death also meant unanswered questions about the devastation: "I think we deserve to know why."