COLLEGE CHAOS
THIS is the dramatic moment a hero teacher tackled a gunman to the ground after opening fire at a college yesterday.
Armed police were scrambled to Crawley College in West Sussex after two members of staff were injured.
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Eye-witnesses said the man was armed with a handgun and firing bullets in the grounds of the college before he was flattened by the brave tutor.
Dramatic footage shows courageous staff jump on the shooter before cops arrived and detained him.
Neighbours living next to the alleged shooter's £300,000 home in Crawley last night claimed he's a student at the college.
Eyewitness Elise Stellebotte said the 'attacker' told students to "run".
Elise, 17, said: "I heard several shots being fired really quickly.
"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."
Cops have arrested an 18-year-old man and seized a firearm and a knife. Nobody was shot.
Officers said they were working with counter terrorism colleagues and “all lines of enquiry are open at this stage”.
But last night, it was confirmed that the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Panicked and weeping students were placed under lockdown inside the grounds after the shocking incident.
COLLEGE LOCKDOWN
It's claimed the teacher who first tackled the suspected gunman had his hand slashed open by a knife.
A second student, posting on Snapchat, said a tutor tackled the gunman to the ground, adding: “The guy managed to slice his hand open."
A parent of one pupil at the college 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."
Dozens of armed cops stormed the site and searched classrooms, while a helicopter was seen flying overhead two hours after the 3.10pm attack.
Counter terror officers from Gatwick Airport were the first on the scene.
Video of the moment the alleged attacker was apprehended was posted on Snapchat with the caption: "Crawley on a mad one today."
It shows one man - reportedly the wounded teacher - pinning a second to the ground.
A number of others, who witnesses claim are also teachers, can then be seen rushing to help detain the man.
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The parent said students were told to "duck on the floor" during the frightening incident.
Police say neither of the casualties suffered a gunshot injury.
One teacher said: “Parents of students at the college are being contacted now.
"It's unbelievable."
Some students could be seen crying as they were picked up by their parents.
One mum, 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."
Around 60 marked and unmarked police cars lined the road outside the college with their blue lights flashing.
Cars from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and as far as the Metropolitan Police force were in attendance, alongside dogs units.
At least a dozen armed officers were seen congregating by the entrance before entering the college building shortly before 6pm.
The cops - some in plainclothes - were seen speaking to a large group of staff and students who had congregated outside.
A man living next door to the alleged gunman's home said: "He goes to the college.
"He’s a really nice guy - I have no idea why he’s done this. Maybe he was having trouble at college.
"I saw him last night out walking his dog and he seemed happy. It’s shocking."
Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges said: "Two staff members at the College suffered minor injuries and presented themselves to a walk-in medical centre.
"No one else has presented themselves to us with injuries but if you need medical assistance please contact the ambulance service or speak to an officer.
"We are liaising with officers at Counter Terrorism Policing South East. All lines of enquiry are open at this stage.
"Roads in the vicinity of the college have been closed and we continue to ask members of the public to stay away from the area at this time."
But shortly after 8.30pm, Chief Inspector Shane Baker, of Sussex Police, provided an update.
"We are not currently treating this as a terrorism incident," he said.
"We are being supported by other agencies in searching the college grounds and a property in Barton Walk.“
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A Crawley College spokesman said: "We are aware of an incident at Crawley College this afternoon.
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"Sussex Police are present on the scene and a man has been detained. We are awaiting further information from the Police.
"We are not aware of any serious injuries. Our priority remains the safety of students & staff."
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