Traumatised students and staff at a college stormed by a masked teenager carrying a gun and a knife while ‘off his nut’ will receive counselling after the attacker told them to ‘run for your lives’ during a rampage that saw two teachers knifed, it was revealed today.
Armed police, snipers and dog units swamped Crawley College in West Sussex yesterday afternoon but it was a hero teacher who rugby tackled the suspect and pinned him to the ground before officers arrested him.
Children fled the campus or hid in toilets and classrooms after the hooded gunman entered the building ‘waving a black pistol around’ and yelling ‘run for your lives’ before shooting at children who had no idea the bullets were blanks.
Two teachers are understood to have suffered knife wounds to their hands and wrists as they defended themselves.
One student, Eddie, 18, who witnessed the incident, said: ‘It was absolutely terrifying. I heard shots ringing out and they were unmistakably gunshots. I saw the guy. He was wearing a black hoodie and a jumper and he had a mask on.
‘He was screaming at people telling them: ‘Run for your lives, run, run!”and jumping around all over the place then he fired some shots. No-one knew they weren’t live bullets but they turned out to be blanks. It was the scariest thing ever. Everyone thought it was a terrorist attack. I thought: ‘Oh my God. There’s going to be a massacre’ and we all went back into the building for safety.’
Student Brad Stanger, 18, said: ‘I’ve been told one member of staff had their hand sliced open and another cut their wrist. Some students were in the toilets and apparently he was there off his nut going absolutely crazy before the incident’.
Students claimed a hero teacher jumped in to subdue the man, as shocking Snapchat footage (pictured) captured the suspect being tackled to the ground at the
The suspect detained after armed police swooped on Crawley College in West Sussex yesterday, where police snipers were brought in
Two people were injured. Witnesses said the gunman, who was also armed with a knife, stabbed one college lecturer in the hand and fired blanks directly at another lecturer.
Students flee with many fearing initially they were in the middle of a terror attack. Police have ruled this out
Armed police responded to ‘reports of gunshot fire’ as staff and students were evacuated from the building in West Sussex
Crawley College is closed today and is offering support to students caught up in the incident.
A spokesman said this morning: ‘At just after 3pm yesterday, the police received reports of shots being fired on College Road, Crawley.
‘Police and armed police were swiftly on the scene and a man was detained with the help of staff from the College. A firearm and knife were seized at the scene.
‘Two members of our staff at Crawley College sustained minor injuries during the incident but these were not gunshot wounds. Both members of staff have received treatment and will make a full recovery.
‘In the aftermath of the incident, students and staff were evacuated to a safe space whilst the police carried out a thorough search of the campus and buildings’.
The spokesman added: ‘We appreciate what a traumatic experience it must have been for all who were involved at Crawley in both the incident itself and the subsequent lockdown.
‘We would like to thank to everyone for their support and resilience during the course of yesterday afternoon and evening – including the Police and emergency services. We will be offering counselling services to our students and staff.’
Crawley College in West Sussex was evacuated on Monday afternoon with terrified students claiming a hooded and masked gunman entered the building while ‘waving a black pistol around’ before attacking lecturers.
Witnesses said the gunman, who was also armed with a knife, stabbed one college lecturer in the hand and fired blanks directly at another lecturer.
Students claimed a hero teacher jumped in to subdue the man, with Snapchat footage showing the suspect being tackled to the ground before police arrested him.
Officers received multiple calls shortly after 3.10pm to reports of gun shots being fired at the college. Armed police quickly rushed to the scene and an 18-year-old man from Crawley was arrested. The suspect remains in custody.
A gun and a knife were seized and two college staff members were treated for minor injuries. Around 30 armed response officers from forces across the southeast were involved in the operation, while a police helicopter hovered overhead.
A parent of one of the college’s pupil’s told The Sun: ‘Pupils were running into other classrooms while they were in lessons in terror saying to others, ‘have you seen what happened?’. A teacher rugby-tackled the gunman. It’s absolutely horrifying.’
In an update last night, Sussex Police confirmed the event is not being treated as a terrorist incident.
Students said the masked gunman entered Crawley College at around 3.10pm and began waving around large black pistol in the car park.
Today the police operation is over, with just two officers stood by a taped off pedestrian entrance next to the modern part of the higher education premises in West Sussex.
A further three were stood by the entrance to the staff car park.
Another officer was seen reassuring residents in a block of recently built residential flats nearby.
The onsite car park was still full with the vehicles of staff members who were anxious to retrieve them after being rushed off the premises.
One asked on Twitter: ‘Will the car park be open to recover cars locked in yesterday?’
Roads reopened at around 10pm on Monday night.
A car park warden said: ‘The town is dead after the incident. I think everyone has been scared off by what happened and the community is shaken.
‘I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t remember ever seeing that many police cars in one place.
‘It seemed like a huge response to what could have been a far more serious incident. We should count ourselves lucky.’
Elise Stellebotte, 17, who is studying for a motor mechanics diploma, said she and fellow students left their classroom after hearing several shots being fired.
She said: ‘I herd several shots being fired really quickly and everyone dived out of the classroom. I saw the gunman. He was wearing a black Puma hoodie and a mask. I was only a few yards away and I could see he had this pistol in his hand and was waving it around.
‘I don’t think he was very old but he was difficult to see behind the mask and hoodie. He pointed the pistol at my tutor and fired but they were just blanks thank God. He was so shocked.
‘He continued ranting and shouting telling people to ‘Run, run’. He was trying to scare people, deliberately. Everyone was pretty scared.
‘No-one knew what was going on. I didn’t feel to scared so I tried to approach him but we were told to get back in the classroom. Everyone was pretty petrified. We had no idea what was happening and it’s worrying with all the terror attacks you hear about.
‘I heard he stabbed on lecturer in the hand when he tried to tackle him and I also heard he may have also stabbed himself.
‘One of my classmates was almost having a panic attack and people were very scared. Then police arrived and there were armed snipers everywhere and the helicopter in the air.’
At 6pm police snipers were seen on the roof of the college and armed response units were patrolling the grounds and carrying out room to room searches of the premises.
One tutor, who would not be named, said: ‘It was a shocking incident. I think everyone is extremely shaken by it.’
One staff member, who did not want to be named, said: ‘The officers were just checking our details and asking whether we saw anything.
‘I was just sat at my desk when I was told we should leave the building. I didn’t see or hear anything.
‘But some students are clearly visibly upset by whatever happened. It appears to be very serious. I just hope everybody is okay.’
Some students could be seen crying as they were picked up by their frantically worried parents.
One mother, who wanted to remain anonymous, said of her teenage son: ‘He saw the whole thing. But he’s too upset and terrified to talk about it.’
Armed police at Crawley College, following ‘reports of gunshot fire’ in the buildings
Two people are injured after ‘shots are fired’ outside college in Crawley
One man has been detained following reports of shots being fired near Crawley College
Two people have been injured and a man has been arrested today following a suspected shooting outside a college in Crawley
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) said a police helicopter from Redhill was called to the scene to support local officers during the incident.
In a statement yesterday afternoon, Sussex Police said: ‘One man has been detained following reports of shots being fired near Crawley College.
‘Please stay away from the area at this time. There is a large police presence at scene and in the local area.’
In a further statement, the force said: ‘Police have responded to reports of gun shot fire near Crawley College. Police received multiple calls shortly after 3.10pm.
‘One man has been detained at the scene by police. Staff and students are being evacuated away from the college. Two people have suffered injuries, but these are not believed to be serious.’
Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges added: ‘We continue to have a policing presence in Crawley and are speaking to witnesses. We are still appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
‘Two staff members at the College suffered minor injuries and presented themselves to a walk-in medical centre. I want to thank those who helped apprehend the suspect before officers arrived and all the students, staff and public for their co-operation.’
A large police presence is in place near Crawley College and the public is being urged to stay away, a force spokesperson said
Armed police from elite Met Police units were also on the scene yesterday
Eyewitness Owen Smith-Carretero, 21, claimed there were police ‘everywhere’ after two people were hurt in the incident.
He told the Crawley Observer: ‘There was a helicopter flying above. Ambulance there, three or for incident response units.
‘They were swarming. They were walking up and down the road about 30-35 police officers, dozens of police cars and emergency vehicles.’