The Minister of the Interior, Marcin Kierwiński, labelled the perpetrator of the Kraków massacre a right-wing extremist just hours after the killings. Now, investigators have found no evidence of links to the far right. A source within the police points in the opposite direction.
On Saturday at 3 pm, 24-year-old Michał Oksiński drove a black Subaru into the main square, Rynek Główny, in Kraków’s Old Town. Dressed in a camouflage uniform and a bulletproof vest, he fired from the car at random members of the public with a civilian version of the AR-15 rifle.
Six people died. Fifteen others were injured. Among those killed is a 32-year-old British man. Among the injured are tourists from the UK, Germany, Austria, Portugal and Russia.
Two young officers from the police station on the square gave chase. Around three minutes after the first report, they exchanged fire with the perpetrator at the junction of Stradomska and Dietla streets. Both officers were hit. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański true heroes.
In the family’s flat in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, around 15 mil north-east of Krakow, the anti-terrorist police later found his parents and sister dead in their beds. According to initial investigations, he probably shot them whilst they were asleep, before driving to Kraków. The family’s two cats had also been shot.
That same evening, Interior Minister Kierwiński held a press conference in Kraków. He described the perpetrator as an ultra-nationalist with extremely radical views.
“Everything suggests that he was fascinated by far-right ideologies,” said Kierwiński, adding that this would be investigated.
The news spread around the world within hours. AP reported that the killer held ultra-nationalist views. The BBC described him as a suspect with links to the far right. Kierwiński did not provide further details as to what the allegation was based on.
According to Super Express, the initial speculation was based on his clothing and the symbols on his uniform. Terrorism researcher Kacper Rękawek at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism in The Hague has pointed out that his equipment, weapons and appearance resemble those seen in other far-right lone terrorists in Europe.
Further details are emerging on Sunday evening and Monday morning. The newspaper Rzeczpospolita quoted a source within the Kraków police who said that an officer had found evidence suggesting that Michał Oksiński may have been on the far left. He is said to have been spotted in photographs posing with flags. The source did not specify which flags. At the same time, the source warned against attributing an ideology to a disturbed man.
– “He simply eliminated people,” the police source told the newspaper.
On the same day, Super Express, citing several sources, reported that the 24-year-old had never had any links to right-wing parties or far-right organisations. According to the newspaper, the security services have scrutinised his online and social media activity without finding anything linking him to the far right.
Kraków’s mayor, Łukasz Gibała, went strongly against the minister.
“I don’t know what the minister is basing this on,” said Gibała on the online channel Kanał Zero.
The mayor called the perpetrator a madman and dismissed the idea that the massacre had anything to do with political polarisation in Poland.
On Sunday evening, Kierwiński began to tone down his remarks. On TVN24, he said that his statements were based on preliminary findings, not on the investigators’ conclusions.
“In cases like this, initial hypotheses, initial information and initial evidence always emerge,” said the minister.
He acknowledged that his remarks had provoked strong reactions, particularly on the right.
On Monday, the government went a step further. Government spokesperson Adam Szłapka told TVN24 that it is best to refrain from commenting until the matter has been fully clarified – even though there are preliminary indications.
According to Balkan Insight, investigators have so far found no evidence of political or extremist activity on the part of the 24-year-old.
Michał Oksiński worked at a local refractory materials factory. He had no criminal record and was unknown to the police. He was a member of the Świt Starachowice shooting club, held a firearms licence and had two guns registered in his name. His father had eleven guns registered. Neighbours have described him as withdrawn. Former schoolmates say he was strange, liked to shock people and painted his nails black.
The perpetrator died in hospital at 4.30 am on Monday morning.
