Who Is Jakub Kulik? Hero Cop Who Took Down Poland Mass Shooter Who Killed 6 Fighting for His Life
Dramatic footage shows the moment a Polish police officer shot a gunman who killed six people in Krakow’s historic market square on Saturday in what officials have described as a terror attack, according to reports. The officer, identified as Jakub Kulik, is now fighting for his life, with the country’s leaders urging the public to donate blood to support his treatment.
Disturbing video shows two cops facing off against the 24-year-old gunman, who also allegedly killed his parents and sister at their home. The confrontation turns into a close-range exchange of gunfire in the street. Kulik, is seen standing over the masked suspect, who is dressed in full tactical gear.
Fighting Like a Hero
Kulik then keeps firing several shots as the suspect lies on the ground. The officer keeps his weapon raised before eventually collapsing from his injuries and rolling onto his back. Polish media reported that Kulik is a veteran of the country’s elite 6th Airborne Brigade.
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek issued an urgent appeal for blood donations in a social media post, writing: “An urgent appeal for blood for our hero from Kraków.
“Senior Constable Jakub Kulik, who today confronted an armed attacker without hesitation, is now fighting for his life in hospital.”
“One of his lungs is not functioning, and he needs every drop of blood he can get.”
Authorities said the two officers arrived at the scene and confronted the gunman within three minutes of the first shots being fired.
Both officers, Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Moranski, remained in serious condition on Sunday, with one still in a coma, officials said.
The suspect was eventually arrested and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
The confrontation took place near the junction of Dietla and Stradomska streets, where police stopped the gunman after he killed four men and two women, including a British national. At least 15 other people were injured, officials said, though it remains unclear how many suffered gunshot wounds.
Suspect’s Identity Not Revealed Yet
In a post on X Sunday, Justice Minister Żurek said the unidentified suspect “acted with the aim of seriously intimidating a large number of people, making this a terrorist offence.” “Senior Constable Jakub Kulik and Senior Constable Artur Moranski are true heroes,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, apparently referring to the two officers shown in the footage.
At a news conference Sunday, regional governor Krzysztof Klęczar praised the officers’ response, saying that without their “efficient and selfless intervention,” “the number of victims could have been significantly higher.”
He said both officers remained in serious condition. However, one had since emerged from a coma, while the other was still unconscious and receiving medical treatment.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the gunman held “very radical” and “ultra-nationalistic” views. He added that “Everything indicates that he was fascinated by far-right ideologies.”
Several hours after the attack, Tusk announced that authorities had found the bodies of three people, including the suspect’s parents and sister, inside his home in Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The city is located about 93 miles northeast of Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city.
The shooting began at around 3 p.m. in Main Square, a popular tourist destination in the center of Krakow’s Old Town, sending people scrambling for safety.
Krakow police spokesperson Katarzyna Cisło said the gunman drove around the square, stopping at several locations to open fire with an automatic weapon. She described his movements as a “wild ride.”
The attacker was dressed in military-style fatigues, wore a bulletproof vest and carried a long gun resembling a military weapon. Police also found additional firearms and ammunition inside his car.
