“Is Kuba still alive?” First words of wounded Krakow officer

Artur Morański, a 27-year-old police officer and one of the two who stopped the gunman on Krakow's Main Square on Saturday, has spoken for the first time after a grueling operation. His first words were a question: “Is Kuba still alive?” — about the condition of his colleague Jakub Kulik. According to Polsat News, Kulik was hit by three bullets. Doctors brought both men out of an induced coma on Sunday.

The words relayed by the mayor

Jan Golba, mayor of Morański's hometown of Muszyna, told of the officer's first words, citing the family. The relatives asked for discretion but allowed the words to be made public. “It was a complete shock. His first words, and right away a question about his colleague. You can see that what they took on was a conscious choice. He knew about the enormous risk,” Golba said.

The mayor admitted he did not know the officer personally and relies on “local accounts”: Morański played for the town's football club for five years, read during church services, married in Muszyna and then moved to Krakow.

What is known about the attack

On Saturday, police in Krakow detained a man who had fired at people from a car on the Main Square. Six people were killed and 15 were injured. According to Krzysztof Klęczar, governor of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship, 14 of the injured are in stable condition, while the officer who directly detained the attacker remains in serious condition.

The attacker died in hospital overnight into Monday. According to prosecutors, he probably also shot three more people — his parents and his sister — whose bodies investigators found in his apartment.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called both officers true heroes who probably saved many lives while risking their own. “Their condition is serious, but they are receiving the best care. All of Poland is rooting for you,” he wrote on social media.

On Saturday evening, an online fundraiser was opened for the officers and their families. Donations grew rapidly — about five thousand zlotys per second. By Monday morning, almost six million zlotys (more than 33 million crowns) had been raised, and the total keeps growing. More than 112 thousand donors have taken part.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz