High School Principal Takes a Bullet to Stop School Shooter

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An Oklahoma high school principal was shot Tuesday as he confronted a former student who entered the school with a gun.

Principal Kirk Moore of Pauls Valley High School was shot in the leg, according to KOTV-TV.

Victor Hawkins, 20, a former student at the school, was identified by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as the suspect in the shooting.

Hawkins faces two counts of Pointing a Firearm, one count of Shooting with Intent to Kill, and two counts of Unlawful Carry.

Moore was taken by helicopter to a hospital, where his injuries were pronounced non life-threatening.

“Principal Moore acted bravely to protect students’ lives. Sarah and I are praying for his quick recovery. I’m thankful for the swift response from law enforcement and school staff, and I’m grateful no students were harmed,” Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said.

The incident took place at about 2:20 p.m.

“The principal of the school had noticed that an adult male subject, 20 years old, had stepped foot into the school with a gun,” Hunter McKee with the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said, according to 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,” he said.

“The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” McKee said.

An arrest affidavit said that, armed with two handguns, Hawkins yelled for everyone to “get on the ground,” after entering the school, according to KFOR-TV.

The affidavit said a gun was pointed at one student, but it did not fire. The suspect stepped behind a vending machine “to clear the malfunction,” the affidavit said.

The suspect then re-emerged and fired a shot at another student. The student put his hands in the air and begged not to be shot. The suspect told both students to go. They ran out of the school

Moore then emerged from his office as another shot was fired. Moore was wounded in the right leg.

Moore then “wrestled with Hawkins on a bench in the foyer and was able to remove Hawkins’ pistol from his hand,” the affidavit said.

Moore and the school’s assistant principal held down the suspect until police arrived, the affidavit said.

The suspect told police he went to the school “with the intent of killing students, [faculty], and finally himself” and used guns that belonged to his father that he took from his father’s closet.

The suspect “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did,” the affidavit said.

He also said he “did not like Principal Moore” and “went to the high school to kill Moore,” the affidavit said.