Krakow Surgeons Saved Officer After Shooting
Two doctors treated victims on the street during the attack, with one applying direct pressure to a chest wound to stop bleeding.
By Lorenzo Marshall ·
A mass shooting in Krakow, Poland, on Saturday resulted in six deaths and 15 injuries, prompting a rapid medical response from two local surgeons who were dining with their families near the Main Market Square. Professor Michal Pądziwiatr, head of surgery at Krakow's University Hospital, stated that his colleague, Dr. Mateusz Wierdak, 'undoubtedly' saved the life of a police officer shot in the chest. Pądziwiatr told the news outlet Fakt that his son alerted him to the violence, describing how people were falling to the ground.
Pądziwiatr and Wierdak moved to assist the injured immediately after the gunfire ceased. While Pądziwiatr treated other victims and the apparent attacker, Wierdak focused on the officer with the chest injury. Pądziwiatr described Wierdak's actions as stuffing bandages into the wound and applying direct hand pressure to control the bleeding. He noted that this immediate intervention was critical because there was a long wait for an ambulance to arrive on the scene.
The two police officers shot while subduing the gunman emerged from comas on Sunday. Poland's prime minister referred to them as 'true heroes' for their role in stopping the attack. The mayor of Krakow stated that he has urgently requested they be granted honorary citizenship of the city. The officers have been identified as senior constables Jakub Kulik and Artur Morański.
Pądziwiatr contacted John Paul II Hospital by phone to insist the officer be transported to its thoracic and cardiac surgery department. He explained that specialists there were best equipped to treat the specific type of injury sustained. Local media identify Wierdak as a well-known surgeon in the region.
The attacker, a 24-year-old Polish man, remains in critical condition and has not been publicly named. Prosecutors launched a terror investigation after initially stating he was inspired by 'far-right ideologies.' A unit of the National Public Prosecutor's Office specializing in terrorist offenses is leading the case. During a search of his home, officers discovered the bodies of his parents and sister. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said evidence suggests the suspect was 'fascinated by far-right ideologies' and held ultra-nationalist views.
The government confirmed the suspect was not a member of the Polish armed forces, despite wearing full military tactical gear and carrying a military-grade weapon. Among the six people killed were four Poles, a British national, and an Austrian woman. Six Dublin Civil Defence volunteers on a city break assisted the injured with CPR and hemorrhage control, according to officer James McConnell.
Witnesses reported widespread panic in the square. Ruby Catherine Warren, from London, said she yelled at her friends to run and they sprinted to shelter in a hotel. Tom Brook, from West Yorkshire, heard multiple gunshots from a McDonald's and later saw paramedics treating a victim near a body covered in foil blankets.
The rampage began shortly before 3:00 p.m. local time on Saturday and lasted approximately three minutes. Bullets shattered shopfronts and struck a tram during the incident. Footage showed the attacker's vehicle speeding through the city center as people fled. The Main Market Square reopened on Sunday evening after security forces lifted the cordon.
