A Polish suspect, identified as Michal Oksinski, who opened fire in Krakow's main square on November 7, killing six people and injuring several others, had reportedly visited websites related to Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian white supremacist responsible for a deadly attack in Norway in 2011. According to Poland's Justice Minister, Waldemar Zurek, there is a strong indication of right-wing extremism behind the gunman's actions that have sent shockwaves through the nation. Investigators found a Gadsden flag, often associated with the US far right, in Oksinski's possession. On Monday, Oksinski died in hospital after being shot and arrested by police. The bodies of his family members were discovered at their home on Saturday, suspected to have been killed by Oksinski as well.
In July 2011, Breivik carried out a series of attacks in Norway, killing eight with a car bomb in Oslo and shooting and killing 69 others, most of them teenagers, at a Labour Party youth camp on Utoeya island. The motives behind the Krakow shooting have been a subject of controversy since Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski stated that Oksinski was influenced by far-right ideology shortly after the incident. However, the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski labeled Kierwinski's statement as a "blatant lie," and government officials appeared to backtrack on their statements. PiS lawmaker Michal Wojcik expressed his outrage at the comments made by Justice Minister Zurek, accusing representatives of the Polish government of dishonesty towards the international community. Kierwinski maintained his stance but stated that he was awaiting the findings of investigators to confirm his claims.
WHERE: Krakow, Poland; Oslo, Norway
WHEN: November 7, 20XX (current year); July 2011
WHO: Michal Oksinski, Anders Behring Breivik, Waldemar Zurek, Marcin Kierwinski, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Michal Wojcik
WHY: Suspected to have researched neo-Nazi ideology; Motives behind the shooting are under investigation.