Oklahoma Principal Tackles Armed Former Student in School Lobby Shooting
Newly released surveillance footage has captured the dramatic moment when a high school principal in Oklahoma tackled and disarmed a former student who entered the school lobby and began firing a pistol. The video, obtained through an Open Records Act request, shows the swift actions that prevented potential tragedy at Pauls Valley High School.
Principal Kirk Moore's Heroic Intervention
Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore was shot in the leg during the April 7 attack but managed to wrestle the suspect onto a bench, disarm him, and remain on top of him until law enforcement officers arrived, according to court records. The video clearly shows a person in a dark hooded sweatshirt entering the school and pointing a handgun at two students in the lobby.
After the gunman fires the weapon, Moore immediately rushes at him, tackling and disarming him while the students run to safety. Another school official then enters the frame and kicks the gun away before picking it up and removing it from the scene. Remarkably, no students were injured during the entire incident.
Law Enforcement Response and Investigation
Hunter McKee, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, emphasized the significance of the staff's actions. "The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today," McKee stated after the shooting.
Authorities arrested Victor Lee Hawkins, a 20-year-old former student at the school, who has been charged with multiple offenses including unlawfully carrying a firearm, shooting with intent to kill, and pointing a firearm. According to an OSBI affidavit, Hawkins told investigators that he went to the school with plans to kill students, Moore, and then himself in a mass shooting "like the Columbine shooters did," referencing the 1999 school shooting in Colorado that claimed 13 lives.
Legal Proceedings and Community Impact
Hawkins has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges. His court-appointed attorney, Tyson Stanek, declined to comment on the charges, citing policies of the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System. Garvin County Detention Center records indicate Hawkins is being held on $1 million bond.
In a statement shared on social media, Principal Moore expressed his determination to return to his duties. "I look forward to returning to work as soon as possible so that I may continue my life's work educating the next generation of Oklahoma leaders," Moore stated.
Pauls Valley is a community of approximately 6,000 people located 60 miles south of Oklahoma City. The incident has highlighted both the vulnerabilities and resilience of educational institutions in the face of potential violence.
