Heroic principal seen on surveillance video foiling would-be school shooter

Pauls Valley High School principal Kirk Moore tackling alleged school shooter Victor Hawkins.

Dramatic video captured by a surveillance camera at a high school Oklahoma shows a principal charging at and tackling a would-be school shooter, likely averting what could have been a terrible tragedy.

Authorities say the incident occurred at Pauls Valley High School, about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City last week, when a 20-year-old former student walked into the school lobby holding a pistol in his right hand. The suspect, identified as Victor Hawkins, is then seen cocking the firearm as he moves through the lobby. 

That's when Kirk Moore, the school's principal, came charging from an adjacent hallway. The principal drove his shoulder into the suspect's chest and tackled him onto a couch in the lobby, restraining him while Hawkins could be seen fighting to free himself. The gunman was able to get a couple of shots off, police said, one of which struck Moore in the leg. But Moore was able to keep Hawkins restrained while a second school employee disarmed the suspect. The two kept him subdued until officials arrived on the scene and apprehended him. 

Moore was taken to a local hospital to have the gunshot wound treated. The school superintendent and others praised Moore's courage under fire. "I know the word gets thrown around quite a bit, but he is a hero today," superintendent Brett Knight said, according to USA Today. The local police chief said in a Facebook post that Moore's "amazing heroic actions saved lives."

Days after the incident, Moore gave a statement via the school, saying, "Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats. I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me on Tuesday." Moore added he looked forward to returning to school as soon as he was recovered from his injuries. 

Police say Hawkins later confessed that he'd intended to carry out a mass school shooting and was inspired by the infamous Columbine school shooting, which left 13 dead in 1999. Below, watch the dramatic security camera footage of Moore's heroics.