Oklahoma Principal Shot While Disarming Ex-Student in School Attack
An Oklahoma principal has been hailed as a hero after he charged and disarmed a former student who entered his high school armed with two semi-automatic handguns, an incident captured on dramatic surveillance footage. Kirk Moore, principal of Pauls Valley high school, sustained a gunshot wound to his leg during the confrontation but is credited with preventing a potential tragedy.
Swift Action Prevents Catastrophe
Authorities in Garvin county, approximately 60 miles south of Oklahoma City, confirmed that Moore's decisive actions undoubtedly saved lives. The principal raced from his office in the school lobby and threw himself on top of the suspect, wrestling him to the ground despite being armed with multiple weapons.
"It doesn't surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took," stated Don May, chief of the Pauls Valley police department, in an interview with NBC News. "There's not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids' lives."
Details of the Armed Intrusion
The incident occurred shortly before 2:20 p.m. on April 7th, according to an arrest affidavit signed by special agent Meric Mussett of the Oklahoma state bureau of investigation. About twenty minutes earlier, the alleged attacker, Victor Lee Hawkins, a 2025 graduate of the high school, took two of his father's weapons from a closet in their home and drove to the campus.
Mussett wrote that Hawkins arrived "with the intent of killing students, faculty, and finally himself." Upon entering the school, Hawkins pointed his pistol and yelled for everyone to get on the ground. He then aimed the gun at a female student in the lobby and pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned.
"Hawkins then stepped out from behind the vending machine and pointed his gun at a male student in the foyer," Mussett detailed. "Principal Moore then came out of his office and charged at Hawkins."
Columbine Obsession and Motives
Court documents reveal that Hawkins, aged 20, was obsessed with the 1999 shooting at Colorado's Columbine high school, where twelve students and one teacher were killed. Hawkins told investigators he wanted to "conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did," referring to the teenage assailants who took their own lives after murdering students and staff.
Mussett further noted that "Hawkins did not like Moore, therefore Hawkins went to the school to kill Moore." Investigators confirmed that Hawkins fired several shots before being disarmed by Moore and another staff member who arrived to assist. Nobody else was injured besides the principal, who required hospital treatment for a wound to his lower right leg.
Legal Proceedings and School Safety
Hawkins remained at the Garvin county detention center on Tuesday on $1 million bail, awaiting a court appearance scheduled for May 8th. He faces multiple charges including shooting with intent to kill, feloniously pointing a firearm, and carrying a weapon to a public assembly.
Pauls Valley high school's website features a statement under the heading "safe school" detailing their 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 reads. "It is our foremost concern that our students feel and are safe at school."
Community Response and Recovery
Several former students expressed admiration for Moore's bravery. "If some student was to get harmed, he would definitely take a bullet for him. I believe that," said Spencer Flinn to Oklahoma City's ABC News affiliate KOCO.
In a statement reported by NBC, Moore expressed gratitude for the "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," he stated. "I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God's hand, were available to me."
Moore confirmed he is "healthy and recovering" and looks forward to returning to work, highlighting the resilience and dedication of educators in the face of such threats.
