Steve Hopkins, 51, was one of the first to confront the masked teenager after he went onto the campus and let loose a volley of shots from a handgun firing six shots.
Screaming at students to: ‘Run for their lives’ he repeatedly pointed the gun at them and fired.
As students fled Mr Hopkins, a mechanical engineering tutor, raced out of his classroom and chased down armed man who fired series of shots at him
The weapon was firing blanks and Mr Hopkins, who is also a parent, escaped injury as the unman tried to stab at the teacher with a knife.
The gunman was later rugby-tackled and pinned to the ground by a second teacher and was later arrested by police.
Students who witnessed the terrifying incident at Crawley, College, West Sussex at 3.10pm on Monday said Mr Hopkins actions were ‘amazing’.
One Crawley college who is studying for a motor mechanics diploma with Mr Hopkins, said: ‘It was so shocking. Everyone dived out of the classroom after we heard several shots.
‘He pointed the pistol at my tutor, Steve Hopkins, and fired but they were just blanks thank God. He was so shocked.
‘Steve was telling everyone to get back in the classroom. People were really terrified. My friend was having a panic attack.’
Last night reluctant hero Mr Hopkins, who lives in a quiet cul-de-sac in Pulborough, West Sussex was refusing to speak about the incident.
Traumatised students and staff at the college will receive counselling after the attack, it was revealed today.
The young man ‘went to the college’, but was ‘having problems’ and had been struggling with lockdowns, his neighbours have said, adding that he lives with his mother, father and a younger sibling.
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.
