Oklahoma Principal Celebrated After Heroic Act
A touching video highlights the bravery of an Oklahoma high school principal who tackled a school shooter and received accolades from his students during prom night.
On Friday, Kirk Moore was honored by students at Pauls Valley High School after an emotional prom night that was captured on film. This event follows a harrowing incident in which Moore was shot in the leg while confronting an armed former student who entered the school’s lobby with two semi-automatic handguns.
As the DJ announced him as “Our King” and played Nickelback’s “Hero,” the crowd erupted in cheers, giving high-fives as he walked through the jubilant assembly.
Mr. Moore, 60, wore a beaming smile during his celebration, surrounded by applauding students who were visibly rejoicing, as seen in the emotional footage.
Moore is being recognized for his quick actions in preventing what could have been a tragic event. Surveillance footage showed 20-year-old gunman Victor Lee Hawkins rushing at a student moments after brandishing a gun.
When Moore heard the chaos, he dashed to the scene, but Hawkins aimed the weapon at him and fired. However, the principal’s rush to tackle him resulted in a chaotic struggle that saw Moore pinning the attacker against a bench. Despite this, a terrified student managed to escape while Hawkins dropped the firearm.
Quickly, another staff member ran to aid Moore and restrained Hawkins until law enforcement arrived to take control of the situation.
According to court filings, Hawkins allegedly expressed hatred towards Principal Moore and intended to kill him. He reportedly stole the gun from his father and openly admitted to wanting to replicate the infamous Columbine school shooting that claimed 14 lives in 1999.
“The actions of our staff and principal who intervened as soon as they discovered a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” stated Hunter McKee from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Hawkins has been charged with intent to kill and other related offenses, with a court appearance set for May 8.
