TWO men have been praised for their bravery after they tackled an armed college student to the ground as he began firing on campus. 

Crawley College workshop technician Simon Wilson and college lecturer Peter Davidson rushed towards Sandijs Dreimanis after he fired a fake pistol on campus in April last year. 

The staff had heard the initial gunshots and called 999. 

As students scattered he raised his pistol again and fired directly at Mr Wilson and Mr Davidson as they rushed towards him.

Sussex Police have now published the footage of the two men as the tackled Dreimanis.

At Dreimanis’s sentencing today at Lewes Crown Court, Judge Christine Laing QC described their bravery as outstanding.

She said: “They both ran after you and you fired directly at them.

“They carried on running at you with no hesitation at all.

“It is quite remarkable.

“They tackled you to the ground and got the gun out of your hand.

“You got the knife and attempted to stab Mr Wilson with it.

“Mr Davidson also sustained cuts to his hands.

“He was repeatedly telling you to drop the knife and striking your hand."

Maryam Syed for the prosecution told Lewes Crown Court the gunman had spoken to members of staff before going on his violent rampage.

She said he told staff: “The people who will judge me are God and the people I care about.

“He then left in apparent good mood.

“That was lunchtime.

“By 1512, police had been called after report of someone with a gun at the college.”

He was described as looking odd and aggressive.

The Argus: Sandijs Dreimanis arriving at Lewes Crown Court this morningSandijs Dreimanis arriving at Lewes Crown Court this morning

Within minutes, at 15.19, he had been pinned to the ground by Mr Wilson and Mr Davidson.

Judge Laing praised the two staff members for their bravery.

She said: “It is clear Mr Wilson and Mr Davidson deserve special recognition.

“They are both very modest and do not think they have done anything out of the ordinary.

“Their bravery was utterly extraordinary.

“Their instinctive desire to run towards danger is one of the most remarkable things I’ve seen in this job.

“They may play it down, saying they had a feeling the gun was imitation, but they had no way of knowing that.

“They did not hesitate at all.

“There is no doubt they saved the life of this defendant.

“Armed police were minutes away and he would in all likelihood been shot dead."

Both men were given a £5000 High Sheriff award for their bravery.

Sandijs Dreimanis, 18, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for the incident on April 26, 2021.