The hero Polish porter who was stabbed as he battled a terrorist on London Bridge armed with nothing but a 5ft ceremonial pole has spoken for the first time - saying he acted 'instinctively.'
Polish kitchen worker Lukasz Koczocik, 38, released a statement via the Metropolitan Police tonight amid international praise for his "one-on-one straight combat" heroics amid the deadly terror attack.
Mr Koczocik was stabbed by Usman Khan as he chased the terrorist from Fishmongers' Hall in a bid to stop him attacking the public on the busy bridge during Friday's horror.
He has been hailed as a hero around the world as details of his feat emerged.
Two former Cambridge university students died in the devastating attack - Saskia Jones, 23, and Jack Merritt, 25.
But witnesses say more people could have lost their lives if Mr Koczocik had not not stepped in with the ceremonial lance he plucked off a wall from Fishmongers' Hall to fight back.
The hero, who has been released from hospital as he recovers from his knife injuries, released a statement via the Metropolitan Police this evening.
Mr Koczocik said: “On the afternoon of Friday, 29 November I was working at Fishmongers 'Hall as normal when the unimaginable and tragic terrorist attack happened.
“I and several others tried to stop a man from attacking people inside the building. I did this using a pole I found. Someone else was holding a narwhal tusk.
“The man attacked me, after which he left the building. A number of us followed him out but I stopped at the bollards of the bridge. I had been stabbed and was later taken to hospital to be treated.
"I am thankful that I have now been able to return home.
“When the attack happened, I acted instinctively. I am now coming to terms with the whole traumatic incident and would like the space to do this in privacy, with the support of my family.
“I would like to express my condolences to the families who have lost precious loved ones. I would like to send my best wishes to them and everyone affected by this sad and pointless attack.”
CEO of Fishmongers' Hall Commodore Toby Williamson earlier recounted the stunning details of his staff's heroics on the BBC.
He described the drama as Mr Koczocik launched into a defensive against the maniac knifeman: "He's the guy who cleans the glasses down in the basement and that's exactly what he was doing when he hears this scream.
"The scream was so loud that, as a first aider, he makes a choice. He goes towards the trouble. He gets there on the first floor of the building just behind me and it's pretty clear that there's a bad guy.
"He's got two knives in his hands, there's blood, there's screams, there's chaos.
"Lukasz pulls off the wall this long stick, he charges towards the bad guy, and he impacts him on the chest and there's clearly something here that is protective and it doesn't make any sort of impact.
"But he's buying time. He allows others to escape, to move to adjacent rooms. At that point he's got about one-minute of one-on-one straight combat."
The attacker had managed to stab the hero kitchen worker four or five times in the left of his body, but despite being seriously injured, he refused to give up, Mr Williamson said.
The battle spilled out in to the main hall, where a conference organised by a University of Cambridge programme called Learning Together was being held.
Khan attempted to flee down the main staircase to the front-door when he realised the scale of numbers against him, MailOnline reports.
A doorman named Gary rushed to hold the door shut so that another worker, Dawn, could ring the emergency services and hit the alarms.
Khan then started to attack two cloakroom girls, named as Alla and Sandra, before stabbing a maintenance man named Andy, Mr Williamson said.
The attacker then managed to burst out of the hall onto London Bridge, but the CEO said Mr Koczocik still 'lead the attack' against him, trying to restrain him.
Mr Koczocik shouted at members of the public to get back before collapsing to the floor from the blood loss as the battle continued onto the bridge.
Mr Williamson said that by this stage, Mr Koczocik's 'job was done, the police are here and I think you've seen the rest on camera.'
Dramatic footage which emerged soon after the attack showed the men - one armed with the narwhal tusk and the other with a fire extinguisher - bravely going after Khan and tackling him to the ground.
Khan, who was wearing a fake suicide west, was shot in the chest by armed police officers shortly afterwards.
Mr Koczocik, who was released from hospital on Saturday, has been put forward for an official honour in Poland, acknowledging his 'courage'.
