In less than a minute, what could have become another school tragedy for shooting In the United States it became a story of heroism. The protagonist is Kirk Moorehigh school principal Pauls Valley High Schoolin Oklahoma, who managed to stop an armed former student after lunging at him, despite being shot in the leg.
According to the official version, the past April 7, 2026, Victor Lee Hawkins20 years old, entered the lobby of the educational center with two semi-automatic pistols which, according to the authorities, belonged to his father and were taken without permission.
Once inside, the young man pointed at several people and ordered them to get on the ground. Hawkins attempted to shoot two students, but in both cases the weapons misfired, allowing the potential victims to flee the area.
The former student later confessed to investigators that he wanted “make your own shooting school, like the Columbine attackers”referring to the 1999 massacre at a Colorado high school, in which 15 people died.
According to prosecutors, Hawkins acknowledged that he had no sympathy for Director Moore and that his plan was kill students, teachers and the director himselfbefore committing suicide.
The heroic reaction
The school’s security cameras captured the moment Moore detected the aggressor and decided to intervene.
In the images, broadcast by American media, the director is seen attacking Hawkins from behind while he was holding a gun.
During the struggle, the attacker shot and hit Moore’s leg, but the gun fell to the ground. A deputy director came to his aid and, between them, they managed reduce the young man and retain him until the arrival of the police.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) He stressed that the quick reaction of the staff was key to avoiding a greater tragedy. Although Hawkins managed to activate one of the guns inside the building, the only one injured was the director himself.
Arrest and charges
Hawkins was arrested at the scene and faces charges of attempt to homicide and other crimes related to the use of firearms in an educational institution.
Investigators indicated that the young man admitted to having taken weapons without his father’s authorization and going to school with the intention of killing. Prosecutors warn that his behavior responds to a emulation pattern of previous shootingssomething that worries US authorities.
Recovery and recognition
After the event, the emergency protocol was applied, the school was closed and the students were transferred to a safe point in coordination with the local police.
Moore was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for the gunshot wound. Both he and the authorities confirmed that He is stable and recoveringand that his wish is return to work as soon as possible.
Oklahoma’s governor and other state officials called the director a “hero” and they highlighted that their decision “saved lives.” Parents and students also expressed their gratitude for the staff’s reaction and for following the security protocols that prevented a new school massacre.
