Recently unveiled footage captures the intense moment when an Oklahoma high school principal courageously tackled a gunman who fired shots within the school premises.
The video reveals Pauls Valley High School’s Principal, Kirk Moore, as he confronts the alleged shooter, 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, a former student, after Hawkins entered the school on April 7.
During this brave encounter, Moore sustained a gunshot wound to his leg and was subsequently airlifted to a hospital, where he remained in stable condition, according to officials.
The footage additionally depicts an individual opening a door, allowing the alleged shooter access to the building.
Authorities have reported that Principal Kirk Moore’s actions subdued the gunman, who had initiated gunfire inside the school.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) informed KFOR-TV that they do not suspect the person who opened the door to be an accomplice of the shooter. The investigators have yet to determine if this individual is a student or a member of the staff, a spokesperson stated.
An OSBI spokesperson told Fox News Digital there are no other suspects in the incident.
Authorities said the shooting unfolded around 2:21 p.m., prompting a lockdown until officers cleared the scene. Moore and other staff subdued the gunman until law enforcement arrived and arrested Hawkins.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Hawkins entered the school carrying two loaded semi-automatic pistols.
Victor Hawkins, a 20-year-old former student at the school, is facing multiple charges in connection with the shooting, including shooting with intent to kill. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
The affidavit states Moore ran to the lobby after hearing gunfire, where Hawkins allegedly fired at him, striking him in the leg.
Moore then “wrestled with Hawkins on a bench in the foyer and was able to remove Hawkins’ pistol from his hand,” according to the affidavit. Moore and other staff held the suspect down until officers arrived.
Hawkins was charged last week with one count of shooting with intent to kill, one count of carrying a weapon into a public assembly, and two counts of feloniously pointing a firearm.
Pauls Valley High School principal Kirk Moore was the only person injured during the shooting at Pauls Valley High School in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
Court documents reviewed by the outlet show Hawkins studied the Columbine school shooting and told investigators he “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did.”
After entering the school, Hawkins allegedly pointed a gun and yelled for people to “get on the ground,“ KFOR reported.
He then pointed a gun at a student and attempted to fire, but the weapon malfunctioned, according to the affidavit.
Victor Hawkins, 20, was arrested in connection with the shooting at Pauls Valley High School in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
Hawkins attempted to clear the malfunction before later firing at another student, who raised his hands and pleaded not to be shot, the affidavit states.
According to investigators, Hawkins lowered his weapon and told the students to leave.
The OSBI said Moore and school staff acted quickly to stop the attack.
“The principal of the school had noticed that an adult male subject, 20 years old, had stepped foot into the school with a gun,” OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee told KOCO-TV. “When the principal noticed this, he quickly stepped in, as well as other staff. The subject was able to fire multiple rounds, where the principal was hurt, but no one else was.”
“The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” McKee added.
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