Two Polish police officers who were injured while pursuing and detaining a gunman in Kraków have been praised as heroes for their actions. The incident took place on Saturday during an attack that resulted in multiple casualties.
Heroic Actions and Official Praise
One of the injured officers is Jakub Kulik, a former paratrooper and volunteer firefighter who sustained critical injuries following a close-range exchange of fire with the suspect. The 24-year-old Polish national is believed to have been inspired by far-right ideologies in the attack that left six people dead and 17 others injured. The second wounded officer is Artur Morański. Both men are under the age of 30, according to reports from the Polish news network TVP World.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk praised their bravery on Saturday in a post on X, stating that they disregarded personal risk and likely saved many lives. The Polish justice minister, Waldemar Żurek, added that the rapid response and heroism of the two officers prevented further human casualties.
Authorities noted that police arrived at the scene just 23 seconds after receiving the initial emergency call from Kraków’s main square, where the suspect had been firing at random from a vehicle. Footage from the scene showed the two officers exchanging gunfire with the gunman before one of them subdued the suspect on the ground and fired several times before collapsing from apparent injuries.
Medical Response and Recovery
Two local surgeons, Michał Pędziwiatr and Mateusz Wierdak, happened to be eating nearby and rushed to assist. Wierdak provided immediate medical attention to the officer who subdued the attacker, according to statements made by Pędziwiatr to the Polish news website onet. Pędziwiatr stated that Wierdak focused entirely on the officer without any protective gear or gloves, stopping the bleeding in his chest, which likely saved his life.
Kulik, who hails from the southern city of Bielsko-Biala, was struck by three bullets and underwent surgery on Saturday, prompting a national appeal for blood donors. Morański, who sustained a gunshot wound to the chest area, also underwent surgery. Both officers were successfully brought out of medically induced comas on Sunday, as reported by Polskie Radio 24.
Colleagues and community members expressed immense pride in the injured men. A member of the volunteer fire service in Bielsko-Biala’s Leszczyny district remarked that Kulik responds to emergencies just like the rest of the unit. Meanwhile, TVP World reported that Morański originated from Powroźnik, a village situated approximately 90 miles south-east of Kraków near the Slovakian border, where a mass was held for him at the local church on Sunday.
