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Brady Olson, hero teacher from school shooting, releases statement

By KIRO 7 STAFF

Parents and students walk away from an area at North Thurston High School Monday, April 27, 2015, where students were released to their parents after a shooting at the school earlier in the morning. Police say no one was injured, and school district officials say the gunman has been apprehended by staff. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) Read the full story here.

By KIRO 7 STAFF

Brady Olson, the North Thurston High School teacher who took down a gunman, released this statement about 12:30 p.m. Monday, April 27.

"I would like to say how happy I am that everyone is safe after today's incident. I would also like to take this opportunity to praise all the police agencies that were involved, especially our Student Resource Officer, (SRO) Ed McClanahan. All agencies responded quickly and acted with the utmost professionalism."

"Additionally, I would like to say thank you to an amazing staff here at North Thurston High School. From administrators to teachers, all reacted to a very intense situation with incredible tact and professionalism. No one, including myself, can prepare for a situation like this, so I'm very thankful that we're all okay. 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."

"We will all group together as a staff and community, like we always do, and continue to put kids first!  North Thurston High School's staff handled this like every other staff in every city, in every state, across this country would. I'm incredibly proud to be a member of the bigger community of educators who teach and take care of our kids every day."

Olson teaches AP government and politics and civics, according to his school biography. He is in his ninth year as a teacher. The school district said about 10 a.m. that Olson would not do interviews on Monday, only releasing the statement. Olson was previously a teacher at Black Hills High in Tumwater and also has worked as a special education teacher. Click here to see photos from the North Thurston High School shooting scene.

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