A masked man pointed an AK-47 rifle in the face of school children outside a convenience shop.
Sean Monger loaded the decommissioned Kalashnikov as he crossed the road, marched up to an 11-year-old outside Tesco Express, in Exeter, and shouted ‘get on the f***g ground’.
Witnesses, including children as young as seven, ran in terror and fear for their lives, Exeter Crown Court was told.
When a security guard at Tesco intervened, Monger pointed the gun and threatened to kill him, Devon Live reports.
But courageous Philip Weirs defied the threats and single-handedly disarmed Monger.
Mr Weirs, who hasn’t been able to work since the incident, was commended by the police and the judge for his bravery tackling Monger. He was given a reward from public funds of £1,000 by the judge.
Monger, 51, pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear or violence and six counts of possessing a prohibited weapon.
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He was jailed by judge Timothy Rose for four years and six months.
The terror unfolded at 3.30pm last November.
Minutes before the raid, two school pupils, aged 14, were barged into by a man wearing a black and red mask along a nearby alley.
He reportedly drew a replica rifle on the terrified girls.
Gemma Isaac, the mum of one of the girls, said: "The man had his hand over his face and he barged into my daughter.
"They saw he was wearing a black mask with holes in it and red stripes.
"He had a large bag with him and a camping bag. He pulled a rifle on them.
"They started to run all the way back home, terrified. They were so scared."
After the altercation in the alley, the man then entered the supermarket.
A National Police Air Service (NPAS) was deployed to the incident and police units took on the detainment of the man from store security.
