Oklahoma Principal Shot While Disarming Ex-Student in School Attack
An Oklahoma high school principal has been widely praised for his heroic actions in preventing a potential mass shooting after he charged and disarmed a former student who entered the campus armed with two semi-automatic handguns. The dramatic incident, captured on school surveillance footage, shows Kirk Moore, principal of Pauls Valley High School, tackling the attacker despite being shot in the leg during the confrontation.
Surveillance Footage Captures Life-Saving Intervention
Authorities in Garvin County, approximately 60 miles south of Oklahoma City, confirmed that Moore's swift response undoubtedly prevented a tragedy. The principal raced from his office in the school's lobby and threw himself on top of the suspect, identified as 20-year-old Victor Lee Hawkins, a 2025 graduate of the high school.
"There's not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids' lives," said Don May, chief of the Pauls Valley Police Department, in an interview with NBC News. "It doesn't surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took."
Columbine-Inspired Attack Thwarted
According to court documents and an arrest affidavit signed by special agent Meric Mussett of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Hawkins was obsessed with the 1999 Columbine High School shooting in Colorado that left 12 students and one teacher dead. Hawkins allegedly told investigators he wanted to "conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did."
The affidavit details that about 20 minutes before the incident, Hawkins took two of his father's weapons from a closet in their home and drove to the campus "with the intent of killing students, faculty, and finally himself." The attack occurred shortly before 2:20 p.m. on April 7.
Detailed Account of the Confrontation
Mussett's report provides a chilling minute-by-minute account:
- Hawkins entered the school, pointed his pistol, and yelled for everyone to get on the ground
- He pointed the gun at a female student in the lobby and pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned
- Hawkins then stepped out from behind a vending machine and pointed his gun at a male student in the foyer
- Principal Moore emerged from his office and charged at Hawkins, initiating the physical confrontation
The affidavit further reveals that "Hawkins did not like Moore, therefore Hawkins went to the school to kill Moore." During the struggle, Hawkins fired several shots before being disarmed by Moore and another staff member who arrived to help. Nobody was injured other than the principal, who required hospital treatment for a wound to his lower right leg.
Legal Proceedings and Recovery
Hawkins remained at the Garvin County Detention Center on Tuesday with bail set at $1 million, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for May 8. He faces multiple charges including shooting with intent to kill, feloniously pointing a firearm, and carrying a weapon to a public assembly.
In a statement reported by NBC, Moore expressed gratitude for "an outpouring of love and support" following the incident. "Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats," Moore said. "I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God's hand, were available to me."
Moore confirmed he was "healthy and recovering" and looking forward to returning to work. Former students told Oklahoma City's ABC News affiliate KOCO that they were not surprised by Moore's selfless actions.
"If some student was to get harmed, he would definitely take a bullet for him. I believe that," said former student Spencer Flinn.
School Safety Protocols Proved Effective
A statement on the Pauls Valley High School website under the heading "Safe School" details the institution's preparations for such incidents. "Throughout the past decade... the high school has also developed and practiced safety measures to be taken should there be an intruder or dangerous individual on campus," it states. "It is our foremost concern that our students feel and are safe at school."
The surveillance footage that captured Moore's heroic intervention serves as both a testament to his bravery and a sobering reminder of the ongoing challenges schools face regarding security and violence prevention.
