A former schoolmate of the 24-year-old suspect in the Kraków mass sh**ting has spoken out, sharing memories that paint a complicated picture of the man accused of carrying out the attack.
The tragedy unfolded on Saturday, November 7, in the heart of Kraków, Poland, as people ran for their lives after an armed attacker opened fire in a busy tourist area.
Highlights
- A childhood friend and a former classmate have shared contrasting accounts of the Kraków sh**ting suspect’s school years.
- One former classmate reportedly recalled disturbing drawings and alleged threats about carrying out a school attack.
- The tragedy claimed the lives of nine people and left at least 15 others injured.
Poland's National Prosecutor's Office is investigating the incident as a t*rrorist offense as the country mourns the nine people who lost their lives in the tragedy.
The harrowing Kraków attack has claimed 9 lives, while leaving at least 15 others severely injured
The attack unfolded on Saturday afternoon, when a 24-year-old Polish man drove onto Kraków’s historic Main Market Square and opened fire on pedestrians.
The busy tourist destination quickly descended into panic as people ran for cover.
Six people, four women and two men, were instantly ki**ed, while at least 15 others, including two police officers, were critically injured.
The victims included four Polish nationals, a British man, and an Austrian woman.
Hours after the attack, police discovered three more bodies at the suspect’s family home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.
They were identified as his 53-year-old father, 52-year-old mother, and 21-year-old sister.
Responding officers reportedly exchanged gunfire with the suspect, wounding him before taking him into custody.
A childhood friend of the suspect reportedly told local media he had never noticed any apparent disturbing signs
As investigators work to establish what led to the tragedy, people who knew the suspect during his school years have begun sharing their memories with local Polish media.
One former childhood friend said, “From primary school to middle school, we were good friends, and as a class we were very talented in life. We teased each other, but we also cooperated with each other.”
The anonymous friend added, “He had no deviations that one could say were actually right-wing.”
“He was quite, let's say, emotional when it came to all sorts of setbacks and failures. I remember it was very easy to offend him, which often led to some kind of crying fits.”
The former friend also said that he did not remember him as a “complete loner.”
Rather, he felt the young man simply “didn't want to be part of this larger group.”
However, a very different account of the suspect’s school years was reported by Austrian publication Kronen Zeitung in an article titled “Classmate on the perpetrator: ‘He drew people hanging.’”
Another former classmate reportedly recalled disturbing drawings of hanging people and threats about a school attack
The report cited a former female classmate who spoke to Polish radio station Radio Eska about drawings she allegedly saw during art lessons.
According to her account, the sketches depicted people who had been hanged, bodies, and individuals carrying weapons.
When classmates reportedly asked what the drawings represented, he allegedly told them they showed an attack on their school and said, “I'm coming to school with a g*n.”
The former classmate also reportedly said he had spoken about wanting to become a b*mber.
The outlet further reported her recollection of an incident during remote learning, likely during the COVID pandemic, when he allegedly joined an online class wearing a military gas mask.
Footage from the tragedy, capturing the aftermath, showed several damaged shop windows and broken glass scattered across the square.
Emergency services covered the square, and a Polish Medical Air Rescue helicopter also landed nearby.
Authorities urged residents and tourists to stay away while police continued their investigation in the area.
The suspect has been identified in Polish media reports as Michał O., a 24-year-old from Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski.
However, authorities have not publicly confirmed his full identity.
The suspect was identified by local media as a 24-year-old man who carried out the attack in the historic Main Market Square
Polish outlets have used his first name and the initial of his surname rather than publishing his full name because of the country’s privacy laws.
Earlier today, November 9, police confirmed that the suspect had passed away in hospital after sustaining firearm wounds during the confrontation with officers.
However, the investigation is far from over.
Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office is continuing to examine the circumstances of the sh**ting.
Authorities are also investigating the suspected t*rrorist nature of the attack and examining evidence to establish the suspect’s motives and any possible connections.
A government minister previously said early findings suggested the suspect may have been inspired by far-right ideology and described him as an “ultra-nationalist.”
However, officials have not released further details about his alleged motive.
“The guy is in 20s now. It’s been years since middle school; his mindset and views could have changed,” one netizen wrote
