police after being arrested. He was then detained and a firearm and a knife were seized, while two members of staff were treated for minor injuries.
The teenager screamed at students to "run for their lives", allegedly repeatedly pointing the gun at them and firing blanks, but as they fled, Mr Hopkins raced out of his classroom to face him down.
Mark Upton, the teacher's neighbour in Crawley, West Sussex, said he was not surprised to hear he had leapt to the defence of his students.
He said the mechanical engineering tutor was a "big guy" who lifts free weights in his garage. Mr Upton, 70, added: "He’s a nice guy who keeps himself to himself."The college's principal paid tribute to the bravery of staff, who are said to be at home resting.
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