Tragic axe attack at University of Warsaw shocks community

What you need to know

• The attack occurred on the University of Warsaw campus around 1:40 PM ET.
• The 22-year-old man is a Polish citizen, likely from Gdynia.
• Detailed information is expected to be provided on Thursday in the afternoon.

At 1:40 PM ET on Wednesday, a criminal event took place on the campus of the University of Warsaw at Krakowskie Przedmiescie, said Commissioner Rafal Rutkowski from the Metropolitan Police Headquarters to PAP.

As it later emerged, the 22-year-old man, a third-year law student at the university and a Polish citizen, for reasons still unknown, attacked the porter who was closing the door to the Auditorium Maximum. The weapon used resembled a hatchet or an axe, according to prosecutor Piotr Skiba from the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw.

A 39-year-old University Guard employee rushed to aid the woman but was seriously injured by the attacker as well. "The man has cut wounds on both hands and his head," reported WSPRiTS Meditrans SPZOZ in Warsaw on their profile on X.

The attacked porter did not survive her injuries. "The woman had numerous cut and chopped wounds on her upper and lower limbs, head, and abdomen," as reported on Meditrans' profile.

Colonel Bogusław Piorkowski, spokesperson for the State Protection Service, informed TVN24 that, according to his information, SPP officers were "conducting protection activities on the university grounds."

He noted that one of the officers "assisted the intervening University Security Guard employees and also provided initial medical assistance to the injured employee."

Piorkowski acknowledged that the presence of SOP officers on the campus "was not accidental." However, he declined to explain why they were there and whether they were still on the university grounds, citing "confidentiality clauses."

The mystery was clarified by the Minister of Justice, Adam Bodnar, who on the X platform, after expressing condolences to "the deceased's family and the entire university community," thanked the SPP officer "who was present nearby while working in the team securing my visit to the university." Bodnar stated that he was attending an academic lecture and did not witness the tragic event.

"I learned about it after the fact from the SOP officers, who promptly evacuated me from the university in accordance with procedures," he wrote.

Prosecutor Skiba announced that the prosecutor's office will provide further information at least 40 hours later at a specially convened press conference, which will also likely include the Metropolitan Police Commander and his spokesperson.

"From the information I've gathered from both the police officers and prosecutors involved in the investigation and securing of preliminary evidence, this was indeed a very brutal murder," emphasized the spokesperson for the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw. He admitted that they are currently unable to determine whether the victims were random or what motives drove the 22-year-old. Examinations of the crime scene, corpses, and securing evidence continued late into the night.

Skiba stated on TVN24 that the investigation involves two very experienced prosecutors from the North Downtown District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, "including the head of the investigative department, who will subsequently lead the investigation." He added that a forensic medical doctor is also involved in the examination, and monitoring from the crime scene has been secured.

Initial reports on the tragedy at the university campus suggested that the murderer decapitated the woman, but no official sources have confirmed this information.

"I saw someone lying on the ground, and there was blood on the building's wall. I thought someone had hit their head and wanted to help. As I began to approach, the assailant continued to strike the woman's body with the axe," a witness to the incident recounted to "Gazeta Wyborcza."

On the X platform, Minister of Science Marcin Kulasek wrote that he is in constant contact with the university rector. He assured that "the university community can count on my full support during this difficult time."

"In the face of this tragedy, my thoughts are with the victim's family and loved ones. I wish to express my deepest condolences," the minister wrote.

In response to the incident at the university, a crisis team was assembled, as informed by the university's spokesperson, Dr. Anna Modzelewska, on Wednesday evening.

Thursday has been declared a day of mourning at the university.