After a suspected school shooter’s weapon malfunctioned as he allegedly tried to fire at a student, an Oklahoma high school principal was shot in the leg — but still tackled the suspect, preventing further harm.
The April 7 shooting at Pauls Valley High School unfolded shortly after 2 p.m., when Victor Lee Hawkins, 20, allegedly entered the building with two loaded semiautomatic pistols, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Investigators allege Hawkins, a 2025 graduate of the school, went to the campus “with the intent of killing students, facility, and finally himself,” and later told authorities he wanted to “conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did,” the affidavit states, referencing the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado that killed 13 people.
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KOCO 5 News/YouTube
Once inside, Hawkins allegedly pointed a gun at a female student and yelled for people to get on the ground before pulling the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned and did not fire, according to the affidavit. He then stepped behind a vending machine to clear the malfunction before emerging and pointing the firearm at another student, the affidavit alleges.
That student raised his hands and asked not to be shot, and Hawkins allowed him to leave, the affidavit states. Moments later, Hawkins allegedly fired his weapon inside the school.
As shots rang out, Principal Kirk Moore ran from his office and attempted to apprehend Hawkins, according to the affidavit. Hawkins allegedly fired again, striking Moore in the lower right leg.
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Garvin County Sheriff
Moore then wrestled Hawkins onto a bench and was able to remove the gun from his hand, the affidavit states. The principal and an assistant principal held Hawkins down until law enforcement arrived and took him into custody.
Hawkins is charged with shooting with intent to kill, two counts of unlawful carry, and two counts of pointing a firearm, according to the affidavit.
Authorities have praised Moore’s actions, saying they likely prevented a far more serious outcome. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives,” Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May told NBC News.
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Members of the community have echoed that sentiment in the days since the shooting.
“He would do anything to save those kids,” former student Madison Knighten told KSL.
Moore later said he was grateful for the support he received following the incident and credited his training for his response. “Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” he said in a statement reported by NBC.
The school has long emphasized safety preparedness, noting on its website that staff have practiced measures for handling intruders or dangerous individuals on campus. “It is our foremost concern that our students feel and are safe at school,” the statement reads.
Moore is expected to recover from his injuries.
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