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Ukrainian man kills one, wounds four in Poland abbey knife attack
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- A 31-year-old Ukrainian man armed with a knife attacked clergy and worshippers at a 17th-century Benedictine abbey in Jaroslaw, southern Poland, killing one priest and injuring four others, including three clergy members.
- The attacker, who had entered Poland from Germany earlier that day, grabbed a kitchen knife from the abbey and targeted victims including a priest in a confessional; two of the injured are in critical condition.
- Authorities reported the suspect was heading toward a nearby border crossing back into Ukraine but diverted to the abbey; his motive remains unclear, and assessments are underway to determine if he was under the influence of alcohol.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk vowed severe legal punishment for the attacker, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the incident as a horrific crime demanding justice.
- The mayor of Jaroslaw declared a mourning period until the end of the week; such violent attacks at religious sites are extremely rare in predominantly Catholic Poland.
