A heroic teacher tackled a North Thurston High School student Monday morning after the student fired two shots into the air in the school's commons area.
Police were called to the high school in Lacey, Washington, after a
16-year-old student fired two shots inside the school, The Associated Press said. No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred before classes started on Monday.
Brady Olson, an Advanced Placement government teacher,
made a statement on the school district's website about his actions.
Olson praised staff for responding to the situation with professionalism. "No one, including myself, can prepare for a situation like this, so I’m very thankful that we’re all okay," he said in the statement. "As always, students come first, and today was no different. I reacted in a way that any other teacher would react and at the sound of a gunshot had three other adults, including Tim Brown, Dean of Students, Principal Steve Rood, and Security Officer, Jim Beltico, going toward the sound of gun fire rather than away."
The AP said the student shot toward the ceiling before being tackled by Olson.
The Blaze reported a mother received the following text from her child at North Thurston High School: "Mom, we hiding right now but there is a kid at school with a gun there's were a few shoot and we're all okay we're all in hiding mom I don't want to stay here when this is all over can you come and get me don't let Luis go to school. This is not a joke this is all serious."
On social media, the one line from Olson's statement about students always coming first was going viral.
Students at the school posted about Olson's bravery and the situation.
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