Kirk Moore tackles and disarms gunman at Pauls Valley High School
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 2
Kirk Moore tackles and disarms gunman at Pauls Valley High School
10 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 2
Moore told Fox News he was shot in the leg on 7 April after confronting a 20-year-old former student allegedly armed with two semiautomatic handguns.
He said the suspect's gun malfunctioned when aimed at a student, allowing him to tackle the attacker as shots hit the floor and ricocheted before police arrived.
Investigators said the suspect planned a mass shooting; Victor Hawkins has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, with a preliminary hearing set for 8 May. Students later named Moore prom king.
What warning signs were missed before a former student returned to his high school with stolen guns?
Why did Oklahoma's new safety laws fail to stop a shooter, leaving a principal to intervene?
Is celebrating heroic staff masking a systemic failure to address the root causes of school violence?
Pauls Valley High School Shooting: Principal Moore Tackles Gunman, Saves Lives
Overview
On April 7, 2026, former student Victor Hawkins entered Pauls Valley High School armed with pistols, intending to kill students, faculty, and himself. After a gun malfunction and missed shots, Principal Kirk Moore confronted Hawkins, leading to a struggle in which Moore was shot in the leg but heroically tackled and pinned Hawkins until the assistant principal disarmed him. Hawkins was arrested at the scene. In response, the school closed for counseling, the community showed strong support, and students honored Moore by crowning him prom king in late April. The attack sparked legal proceedings against Hawkins and intensified debates on school safety funding and gun control in Oklahoma.