Kraków police officers Kulik and Morański stopped a gunman with a pistol against an AR-15 rifle
Two Polish police officers with pistols stopped an armed shooter in central Kraków and saved the lives of other people. Both suffered serious injuries, and a collection for their support raised over 3.3 million zloty.
Police officers with pistols against an attacker with a rifle: Poland celebrates heroes
Senior police officers Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański faced an armed gunman in central Kraków on Saturday, despite having only pistols at their disposal. Deník.cz reports that both men suffered serious injuries, and since Saturday evening Polish media and politicians have been heaping praise on them.
The twenty-four-year-old attacker arrived by car at the intersection of Dietl and Starodmska streets, from which he had previously shot six people and injured fifteen on the main square. He was equipped with a helmet, a bulletproof vest, tactical clothing and was firing from an AR-15 assault rifle. Experts assessed his equipment and conduct as evidence of a professionally trained shooter. Kulik and Morański nevertheless confronted him immediately.
"The police officer fired six shots at the man in military clothing. Then he fell to his knees and fired a seventh shot. From the video it is clear that he himself is wounded. For several seconds he remains on his knees next to the lying attacker and continues to guard him, even though his strength is fading. After a while he collapses to the ground and lies on his back on the pavement," the Fakt newspaper described the footage. Other recordings captured the kneeling officer managing to apply a tourniquet to one of his wounds to slow the bleeding.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk released the names of both police officers in the evening. "Senior police officers Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański intervened at the risk of their own lives and in doing so probably saved the lives of many others. They are in a serious condition, but receiving the best care. All of Poland is rooting for them," Tusk wrote on X.
Gazeta Wyborcza added that Kulik comes from Bielsko-Białej, has served in the army since the age of eighteen and was a member of the elite Białski airborne battalion.
Collection exceeded 3.3 million zloty
An online collection was started on Saturday evening to support both police officers. By Sunday afternoon, over six thousand donors had contributed and 3.3 million zloty had been raised, approximately 18.3 million Czech crowns.
The bravery of the officers was also praised by Paweł Moszner, a former member of the Polish special forces unit Grom and weapons expert. "They went with pistols in hand against a killer in tactical clothing with an assault rifle. They are heroes who deserve applause from all of Poland," Moszner said for the Onet website.
Former Grom commander General Roman Polko responded to critical online comments — that the final shots the officer fired were at the lying attacker. "From the videos I have seen, it is clear that the officer was wounded and neutralised the terrorist with great determination. He could still have reached for his weapon and killed more people," Polko said for the Gazeta Krakowska.
Surgeons from a family lunch directly to the wounded
By coincidence, at the time of the attack, two leading Kraków surgeons — Michael Pędziwiatr and Mateusz Wierdak — were present on the other side of the same intersection in a restaurant. They were there for a family lunch.
"I was just saying goodbye outside the restaurant when my son shouted: Dad, they're shooting people over there, they're falling to the ground. We took shelter in a nearby chemist and watched the shootout between police and the attacker. When the gunfire stopped, we both ran outside and rushed to the wounded," Pędziwiatr described.
Together with colleague Wierdak, they immediately began first aid. "We were not the only ones — there was another doctor and a police officer with medical training. We all worked together. We also managed to direct the wounded to hospitals where they had the greatest chance of survival," Pędziwiatr said.
The doctor also paid tribute to both officers. "On the other side of the intersection were our families and many other people. I dread to think what would have happened if the attacker had continued shooting from the moving car. Mateusz and I were doing our job — those police officers are heroes," he added.
A photograph of the wounded kneeling officer quickly spread across social media. Polish Dziennik wrote that it "became a symbol of the bravery of the police officers who stood up to the armed attacker."
Source: Deník.cz