Oklahoma Principal Tackles Former Student Gunman in School Lobby; New Video Shows He Is Shot in Leg
An Oklahoma high school principal, Kirk Moore, tackled a 20-year-old former student, identified as Victor Lee Hawkins, after Hawkins opened fire in the school lobby, according to newly released surveillance video and police statements. The footage shows Moore racing into the lobby, tackling the gunman onto a bench and holding him down while another staffer kicked the weapon away; Moore was shot in the leg during the intervention, was airlifted to a nearby hospital, and no other students or staff were injured. Hawkins has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $1 million bond, officials said, and local leaders including Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May and Oklahoma superintendent Lindel Fields publicly praised Moore’s actions.
The new reporting adds detail and personal response: CBS published the surveillance clip and a written statement from Moore crediting his instincts, training and “God’s hand,” saying he looks forward to returning to his work in education. That contextual footage comes against broader research showing most K–12 shooters historically are current or former students, and that young perpetrators often obtain firearms from family sources—facts that help explain why school insiders and staff remain central both to prevention and to rapid on-site response.
Public reaction on social media has crystallized around Moore’s intervention, with commentators and outlets calling his actions heroic and crediting him and school staff with preventing greater harm. Some posts also flagged concerns about the suspect’s alleged fixation on past school attacks, a narrative thread that underscores ongoing worries about how violent grievances and online obsessions can manifest in school-targeted violence.
Early coverage emphasized the dramatic heroism and the quick arrest; the release of the surveillance footage, led by CBS, shifted reporting from initial summaries to a more detailed timeline that visually confirms Moore was shot during the tackle, documents the sequence of events in the lobby, and includes new quotes from officials and from Moore himself.
📊 Relevant Data
In public mass shootings from 1966 to 2019, most K-12 school shooters were current or former students, and young school shooters often obtained their firearms by stealing them from family members.
Public Mass Shootings: Database Amasses Details of a Half Century of U.S. Mass Shootings — National Institute of Justice
📌 Key Facts
- CBS published newly released school surveillance video that shows Principal Kirk Moore racing into the lobby, tackling the gunman onto a bench and holding him down while another staffer kicks the weapon away.
- The footage documents the moment the gunman opens fire and the rapid sequence in which Moore intervenes.
- The video visually confirms Moore was shot in the leg during the tackle; he was airlifted to a nearby hospital and no one else was injured.
- The suspect is identified as 20-year-old former student Victor Lee Hawkins; he has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody on $1 million bond.
- Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May and Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction Lindel Fields issued public statements praising Moore and describing the community impact.
- Moore released a written statement crediting his instincts, training and "God's hand," saying he looks forward to returning to work to continue his "life's work" in education.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS has published newly released school surveillance video showing Principal Kirk Moore racing into the lobby, tackling the gunman onto a bench, and holding him down while another staffer kicks the weapon away.
- The piece confirms Moore was airlifted to a nearby hospital after being shot in the leg and that no one else was injured.
- The article reiterates the suspect’s identity as 20‑year‑old former student Victor Lee Hawkins, notes he has pleaded not guilty, and that he remains in custody on $1 million bond.
- Includes new public quotes from Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May and Oklahoma superintendent of public instruction Lindel Fields praising Moore and describing the community impact.
- Carries a written statement from Moore crediting his instincts, training and “God’s hand” and saying he looks forward to returning to work to continue his “life’s work” in education.
- CBS published newly released surveillance video that clearly shows Principal Kirk Moore tackling the gunman in the school lobby.
- The footage visually confirms that Moore is shot in the leg while making the tackle.
- The clip documents the moment the gunman opens fire and the rapid sequence in which Moore intervenes.