A principal in Oklahoma is being lauded as a hero after he was shot in the leg while bravely confronting a school shooter on Tuesday. His quick actions are credited with preventing a potentially catastrophic situation, according to officials.
Kirk Moore, the principal of Pauls Valley High School, along with other staff members, swiftly intervened when they spotted a gunman on campus. The suspect was later identified as 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, a former student, as reported by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI).
“Principal Moore noticed an adult male, aged 20, entering the school premises with a firearm,” OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee explained to KOCO-TV. “Upon this realization, both he and other staff members took immediate action. Although the gunman fired multiple shots, resulting in the principal’s injury, fortunately, no one else was harmed.”
Moore was transported to a hospital via airlift and is currently in stable condition, authorities confirmed.
Victor Hawkins, aged 20, has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting incident at Pauls Valley High School in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, as per the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
“The decisive actions of the principal and staff members, who intervened the moment they identified an individual with a firearm, undoubtedly saved lives today,” McKee stated to the media outlet.
The shooting unfolded around 2:21 p.m., according to authorities. The school was placed on lockdown until officers cleared the scene, and students were later reunited with their families.
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)
Moore and other staff subdued the gunman until officers responded and arrested Hawkins.
“I know the word gets thrown around quite a bit, but he is a hero today,” Pauls Valley Superintendent Brett Knight said of Moore while speaking to reporters at the scene.
Officers responded to a shooting call at the school around 2:21 p.m. on Tuesday, April, 7, 2026. (KOKH-TV)
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also praised Moore in a statement, saying that he “acted bravely to protect students’ lives.”
“Sarah and I are praying for his quick recovery,” Stitt said. “I’m thankful for the swift response from law enforcement and school staff, and I’m grateful no students were harmed.”
A motive for the shooting was unclear, officials said.
Hawkins was booked into the Garvin County Jail.
The 20-year-old was charged Wednesday with one count each of shooting with intent to kill and carrying a weapon to a public assembly, and two counts of feloniously pointing a firearm. His bond was set at $1 million.
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