1/1 TWO teachers have been injured after shots were fired at a busy college in Crawley yesterday. An 18-year-old has been arrested after officers received multiple calls shortly after 3.10pm that gunshots had been fired at Crawley College. A firearm and a knife were seized, as two college staff members were treated for minor injuries. Hundreds of people watched from behind a police cordon in College Road, as armed officers from the South East s counter-terrorism team cleared the building throughout the afternoon. Students were filmed leaving the college with their hands on their heads, as hundreds of police evacuated the campus.
Armed police at the scene
“Armed police were swiftly on scene and an 18-year-old man from Crawley was detained in College Road at 3.20pm and remains in custody at this time. A firearm and a knife were seized.”
Two college staff members were treated for minor injuries, said police. These were not gunshot wounds.
Pupils and staff were evacuated to a safe space while police carried out a search of the buildings.
Chief Superintendent Howard Hodges added: “We continue to have a large policing presence in Crawley and are 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. No one else has presented themselves to use with injuries but if you need medical assistance please contact the ambulance service or speak to an officer.
Crawley shooting incident: Live updates after reports of shots fired near college
People have been told to stay away from the area around College Road
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Police are responding to an incident in College Road in Crawley in which shots have reported been fired.
Officers are at the scene and have told people to avoid the area after posting on Twitter about the incident shortly after 3.20pm on Monday (April 26), Sussex Live reports.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said earlier: We are aware of and are responding to reports of an incident in College Road, Crawley. Please stay away from the area until further notice. We will provide more information as soon as we can, here.
By Press Association 2021
Police activity at Crawley College, West Sussex
Students and staff at a college in West Sussex had to be evacuated following reports of gunshot fire.
An 18-year-old man has been detained following the incident at Crawley College and a firearm and a knife were seized.
Two college staff members sustained minor injuries, which police stressed were not gunshot wounds.
A video shared on Snapchat seen by the PA news agency appears to show someone being held on the ground by several others outside the college, while the person holding the camera says “my man had a knife and a gun”.