Quick-thinking : Brady Olson , a teacher at North Thurston High , took down a gunman on Monday . A Washington high school teacher is being hailed a hero for tackling a 16-year-old student to the ground after he opened fire on Monday morning . No one was injured after the boy shot twice toward the ceiling in the school commons before classes began at North Thurston High School in Lacey , about 60 miles southwest of Seattle , authorities said . Brady Olson , who teaches Advanced Placement government and civics at the school , knocked the armed student to the ground and kept him pinned down until authorities arrived , witnesses said . The shooter is in custody at the Lacey Police Station . The teenager , who has not been identified , only transferred to the high school a month ago , according to authorities . He later told police he shot into the air because he did n't want to hurt anyone . A search warrant is being carried out at his home , police said . School district spokesperson Courtney Schrieve confirmed that the 43-year-old teacher had been responsible for helping apprehend the student . 'He is a very brave man who probably saved a lot of people today , ' Schrieve told KCPQ . Both students and staff said they were not surprised that Olson , who has taught at the school for nine years , was the one to stop the shooter . 'If anyone in the school were to do something like he did , I would think it would be him , ' said student Teia Patan , 17 , who is in one of Olson 's classes . 'He 's one of those people who watch over kids . ' Scene : A 16-year-old student walked into the commons , pictured , on Monday with a gun and cigarette and fired two shots at the ceiling , according to witnesses . Mr Olson then tackled the boy to the ground . Fears : Parents and students walk away from North Thurston High School on Monday after a 16-year-old student opened fire before classes at the school and was stopped by a teacher . Patan was swept into a classroom and then escorted out of the building after the shooting . He described his high school as a nice , calm school , with no bullying . 'When it was happening , I first thought it has to be fake , ' he added . Another student , 16-year-old Anthony Rybalkin , told the News Tribune that he was in the commons area when the shots were fired . ' I saw ( the student ) walking down the stairs with a cigarette and gun in his hand , ' Rybalkin said . ' I was like , `` This is actually happening '' . ' He watched as Olson tackled the boy to the ground . He said that another teacher then helped him hold the teenager down . Olson , who is married to an elementary teacher in the school district , Shara Olson , has been teaching for nearly 20 years and has also worked as a former assistant football coach . Scene : No one at the school ( pictured ) was injured thanks to the quick-thinking of the popular teacher . Safe : Parents hold on to their children after they were released from school on Monday morning . Following his brave efforts at the school , students shared their gratitude on Twitter . 'Thank you so much Mr.Olson for saving so many lives and having the courage to do that , ' one wrote . Another added : 'Mr Olson part-time teacher , full-time super hero . ' And on her Facebook page , Olson 's own mother added : 'So proud of Brady . Not a surprise to any of us that he would be so brave . It was an automatic reaction for him . '
A student walked into North Thurston High School in Lacey on a month ago morning with a gun and fired twice at the ceiling . Brady Olson , a government teacher , tackled the teenager to the ground and kept him pinned on the floor until authorities came and arrested the boy . The unidentified shooter only transferred to the school Monday . Students praised the popular teacher for his quick-thinking and said they were not surprised that he had come to their rescue .