Hero Teacher Steve Hopkins Tackles Armed Teen with Fake Gun at Crawley College Shooting Spree

Hero Teacher Chases Down Armed Teen with Blank Gun at Crawley College

Steve Hopkins, 51, was every inch the hero when a masked teenager stormed Crawley College in West Sussex, firing six shots from a handgun. The mechanical engineering tutor didn’t hesitate for a second.

As terrified students scrambled, Hopkins shouted, “Run for your lives!” and then rushed out of his classroom to confront the armed intruder. The gunman brandished a pistol and screamed warnings, but thankfully the shots were blanks.

Teacher Takes Down Armed Attacker Before Police Move In

Despite the weapon firing blanks, the situation was far from safe. The teen tried to stab Hopkins with a knife, but the teacher escaped injury. Another quick-thinking staff member rugby-tackled the attacker to the ground before armed police moved in and made the arrest.

Students and staff, shaken but safe, praised Mr Hopkins’s bravery. One student studying motor mechanics said,

“It was so shocking. Everyone dived out of the classroom after we heard shots. The gunman pointed the pistol at Steve and fired – luckily it was just blanks. Steve told everyone to get back inside. People were terrified. My friend had a panic attack.”

Community and College Rally After Terrifying Incident

Hopkins, who lives quietly in Pulborough with his family, has so far declined to comment. The local community revealed the teen attacker was struggling with lockdowns and personal issues, living at home with his parents and younger sibling.

Counselling is being arranged for all traumatised students and staff. The lockdown at Crawley College saw pupils hiding in toilets and classrooms after the hooded gunman burst in, waving his fake gun and yelling warnings to “Run for your lives.”

Armed police, snipers, and dog units flooded the campus within minutes, securing the area after the teachers’ daring intervention.