Two police officers in Kraków were injured while pursuing and apprehending a gunman responsible for a shooting attack that left six people dead and 17 others wounded. The suspect, identified as a 24-year-old Polish national, carried out the assault in the city’s main square, shooting from his vehicle at random targets.
Jakub Kulik, one of the officers and a former paratrooper with volunteer firefighting experience from Bielsko-Biala, sustained critical injuries after a close-range firefight with the gunman. He was struck by three bullets and required emergency surgery. Artur Morański, the second officer from Powroźnik near the Slovak border, also underwent surgery after being shot in the chest area. Both men, who are under 30 years old, were brought out of medically induced comas on Sunday.
Polish authorities credited the officers’ actions with preventing further casualties. Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated the officers “probably saved many human lives, disregarding the risk to their own.” Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek emphasized that their rapid response and heroism prevented additional deaths. Police arrived at the scene 23 seconds after receiving the initial emergency call.
Video footage from the incident documented the officers exchanging gunfire with the suspect before one officer apprehended him on the ground. Following the confrontation, the officer fired several shots before appearing to collapse from injuries sustained during the encounter. The incident sparked a national blood donor appeal to support the officers’ medical treatment.
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