Shooting in Kraków: a legal analysis by Vasyl Kostyuk
Vasyl Kostyuk has prepared a legal analysis of the incident that took place on 7 November 2026 in Kraków. In the article, he examined the circumstances of the tragedy from the perspective of Polish law, assessed the actions of the police and drew attention to the issue of controlling the legal circulation of firearms.
One of the key facts of this case is that the attacker held a valid licence for a sporting firearm, which he had obtained in March 2026. This is precisely why Vasyl Kostyuk is raising the question of how effectively gun owners are vetted in Poland, not only when they apply for a licence but also throughout its entire period of validity.
In his article, Kostyuk analyses the possible classification of the attacker’s actions as a terrorist offence, the legal grounds for the use of firearms by police officers, and the circumstances that still need to be clarified as part of the investigation. The issue of state liability is examined separately, particularly in cases where a legally issued weapon becomes an instrument of a serious crime.
By way of comparison, Vasyl Kostyuk draws on the experience of France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. In these countries, following high-profile attacks, the rules governing background checks on gun owners were amended and the exchange of information between government agencies was stepped up.
Among the possible solutions for Poland, the author suggests regular medical and psychological assessments of all categories of gun owners, ongoing monitoring, and more effective cooperation between the police, healthcare institutions and the security services.
At the same time, the article also examines other proposals that have been under discussion following the events in Kraków: expanding the powers of the security services, arming the police with automatic weapons, increasing law enforcement officers’ salaries, and making it easier for members of the public to obtain firearms. The author explains the legal restrictions and risks associated with each of these approaches.
Vasyl Kostyuk’s main conclusion is that Poland should focus, first and foremost, on preventing such incidents through better monitoring of people who already hold firearms licences. As one of the first steps, he proposes amending Bill No. 1931, which is currently under consideration by the Sejm, to include provisions for the continuous monitoring of gun owners.
The full study also includes an analysis of Polish and European legislation, judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and academic publications.
