UPDATE: Man who helped stop Seattle gunman hailed as a hero

ABOVE: Global’s Jill Bennett reports on the dramatic shooting on Thursday at a university campus in Seattle, WA.

The man who helped stop the gunman who opened fire at a Christian university in Seattle last week, killing one person and injuring two others, is being hailed as a hero.

Jon Meis pepper-sprayed and tackled the gunman when he stopped to reload his gun. Several other bystanders also helped hold down the gunman until police arrived, reports Washington Post.

Meis is requesting privacy and is not speaking to the media, but issued a statement describing the events that unfolded.

“On Thursday, my life changed. I was thrown into a life and death situation, and through God’s grace I was able to stop the attacker and walk away unharmed,” said Meis in a statement. “While my experience left me in physical shock, I know that many people are dealing with much greater grief than I have experienced, and in honesty I probably would not be able to handle it myself right now if I had personally known the victims.”

Meis says he finds it hard to accept he is being hailed as a hero.

“While I have imagined what it would be like to save a life I never believed I would be put in such a situation. It touches me truly and deeply to read online that parents are telling their children about me and telling them that real heroes do exist,” he says.

Read Meis’ full statement here.

Gunfire broke out around 3:30 p.m. local time on Thursday at Seattle Pacific University, in the building that houses science and engineering programs.

A hospital spokeswoman says a 20-year-old woman remains hospitalized after hours of surgery last week. Another man is hospitalized in satisfactory condition.

One of the male victims, a 20-year-old man, has died as a result of his injuries.

Twenty-six-year-old Aaron Rey Ybarra, the suspect in last week’s shootings, has been booked in King County Jail for the shooting.

Police say no outstanding suspects other than Ybarra are being sought.

– With files from The Associated Press