A man has been arrested following a gruesome murder at the University of Warsaw campus on Wednesday evening after entering the campus wielding an axe and attacking two university staff members.
The assault resulted in the death of a 60-year-old porter and left a 39-year-old university guard in critical condition. The suspect is believed to be a 22-year-old law student at the university and holds Polish citizenship.
The attack occurred around 6:40 p.m. at the Auditorium Maximum building, located on Krakowskie Przedmieście in central Warsaw. According to police and prosecutors, the student first targeted the porter, inflicting multiple fatal wounds. The woman, described as having “numerous cut wounds to her upper and lower limbs, head, and abdomen,” died at the scene.
When a member of the UW Guard intervened, he too was violently attacked. The guard sustained serious head injuries and deep lacerations to both hands. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
“It was a very brutal murder,” said Piotr Antoni Skiba, spokesman for the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw. Investigators have confirmed the use of an axe in the assault, and images of the weapon used have since been circulated on social media.
The motive for the attack remains unknown. Prosecutors and police officers continue to investigate the scene and gather evidence. Crisis teams have been mobilized, and psychological support is being offered to students and staff shaken by the attack.
Polsat News and TVN24 reported that the scene was gruesome, with unconfirmed initial accounts mentioning a severed head — details which authorities have not officially corroborated.
President Andrzej Duda issued a statement expressing sorrow: “I am deeply moved by the tragedy that occurred today at the University of Warsaw. As a result of this brutal attack, a university employee was killed. I join in pain and prayer with the victim’s loved ones and the entire academic community.”
The university has declared Thursday a day of mourning. Black flags have been raised, and all university-organized events have been canceled. “It is supposed to be a day of reflection for all members of the university community,” said UW spokeswoman Dr. Anna Modzelewska, who confirmed that a crisis response team is in place to support those affected.
W dniu dzisiejszym w godzinach popołudniowych Społeczność Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego dotknęła ogromna tragedia.https://t.co/8eac2JAS7Y pic.twitter.com/MWdbxMrzva
— Uniwersytet Warszawski (@UniWarszawski) May 7, 2025
Minister of Justice Adam Bodnar, who was on campus at the time of the attack for an academic lecture, revealed that he was swiftly evacuated by security officers. “I would like to thank the SOP officer who ran to the scene and successfully supported the university guard in their intervention,” he wrote in a statement.
Other political and religious leaders joined in expressing condolences. Archbishop Adrian Galbas prayed for the soul of the deceased and healing for the injured. Parliamentary Speaker Szymon Hołownia wrote, “Struck by the nightmare of the crime at the University of Warsaw, I offer my sincerest condolences.”
Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized the importance of unity in the face of tragedy. “My thoughts and heart are with the families of those attacked, the entire academic community, students and lecturers,” he said. “We must not remain indifferent to evil.”
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