Officers also conducted a search at an address in Barton Walk, Crawley, in connection with the incident. Chief Inspector Shane Baker, of the Crawley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “I’d personally like to thank everyone who helped to quickly bring this incident to a safe conclusion, especially the two members of college staff whose heroics have not gone unnoticed. They put themselves in harm’s way in order to protect their students, fellow employees and the wider public, and I am hugely grateful for their quick thinking actions. “During this, they sustained minor injuries – not gunshot wounds – and presented themselves to a walk-in medical centre. Thankfully, no other injuries were reported, and no damage was caused by the blank shots fired.
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Police continue to question 18-year-old suspect and say incident is not being treated as terrorism
Armed police at Crawley College on Monday after reports of gunshots. Two staff members suffered minor injuries but it is unclear whether shots were fired. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA
Armed police at Crawley College on Monday after reports of gunshots. Two staff members suffered minor injuries but it is unclear whether shots were fired. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA
Tue 27 Apr 2021 08.45 EDT
Last modified on Tue 27 Apr 2021 09.48 EDT
Students and staff at a college where a man was arrested amid fears of a gun attack are to be offered counselling as police continued to question the suspect.
Last modified on Tue 27 Apr 2021 16.01 EDT
A heroic teacher and college worker have been praised for tackling and handing over to police a masked gunman who burst into a packed college allegedly firing a pistol, triggering panic and fear.
An 18-year-old man remained in custody after the scare at Crawley college on Monday. Police revealed the suspect had a pistol firing blanks, with the melee leading to two college staff suffering minor wounds. Police said a firearm and knife were recovered from the scene.
A college spokesperson said: “We believe that the individual in custody is a Crawley college student but we cannot provide any further details at this time.”
Updated
Tuesday, 27th April 2021, 4:25 pm
Dozens of armed police including counter terrorism officers descended on the college after shots were fired at the College Road site, police said.
And now a police chief has praised the staff for putting themselves in harms way to protect others.
Chief Inspector Shane Baker, of the Crawley Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “I’d personally like to thank everyone who helped to quickly bring this incident to a safe conclusion, especially the two members of college staff whose heroics have not gone unnoticed.
Officers at the scene
“They put themselves in harm’s way in order to protect their students, fellow employees and the wider public, and I am hugely grateful for their quick-thinking actions.”