Lacey teacher to shooter: ‘Not end of world, we can get you help’

Brady Olson is hailed as a hero for taking down a 16-year-old shooter at North Thurston High School in Lacey.

While not trying to minimize the gravity of the situation in the commons Monday morning, Olson said in a news conference that he just happened to be the longest-legged teacher closest to the teen.

Related: Teen had no intention of hurting classmates, according to police

“I reacted to a situation and I don’t know if being portrayed one way &#8212 I think I should be portrayed as the dumb guy who ran the other way.”

Olson couldn’t recall exactly what crossed his mind as he ran toward the sound of gunfire, but he “saw kids fleeing and it kind of fired (him) up to do something.”

He said when we first saw the student come down the stairs, he was smoking a cigarette.

“My first thought was ‘you can’t smoke on school grounds.'”

But Olson, who was in the military for three years on the G.I. Bill, said he immediately recognized the gun.

The boy shot a second time before Olson enveloped him and was able to flick the gun across the floor to prevent him from using it again.

“I had a conversation with him as I was laying on top of him. I was trying to reassure him that he’s going to get some help and it’s a situation that &#8212 it’s not the end of the world and there are things that we can do to help you out.”

Olson said he’d say the same thing today.

“I think sometimes we react certain ways and we’d like to take it back,” he said.

Lacey police commander Jim Mack said Monday that the shooter wanted to be hurt.

“He wanted the school resource officer to potentially shoot him,” Mack said.

Olson spent the day going over the incident with his students, who are preparing to take the Advanced Placement history test in three weeks.

He reminded them that everyone will process Monday’s events differently and it’s important to support each other.

“It was kind of a big hug without being a hug,” he said.

Parents, students, and Olson’s colleagues showered him with gratitude Tuesday. The career center instructor gave him a $100 gift card for coffee and students hung up posters singing his praise.

Olson said he lost his wedding ring while tackling the student, but the school has said it will reimburse him.

“It’s a $16K … looks like a Super Bowl ring. No, it’s not a big deal,” he said.

What is a big deal for Olson is for all students, at his school and others, to remember that their teachers are always looking out for their best interests.

“I want you to know that your teachers are awesome. We work really, really hard at being awesome. There’s a lot of talk right now about teachers. The one thing that I know is that everybody who I work with, their number one concern is their kids.”

Olson said he’s thankful for such a supportive community and to be able to go home and love his family.

Meanwhile, the shooter is being held on $500,000 bail.