Who Is Kirk Moore? Hero Principal Who 'Saved Lives' in Viral Pauls Valley High School Tackle Video

An Oklahoma principal has been hailed a hero for saving students' lives after a former student attempted a school shooting at Pauls Valley High School, only to be intercepted by a courageous administrator who tackled the gunman before he could open fire.

Kirk Moore is being celebrated nationally after dramatic surveillance footage of the 7 April incident went viral this week. The video shows a suspect, identified by police as 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, entering the school lobby with a firearm, and without hesitation, Moore intervenes and ensures the safety of the students and other staff members. The surveillance video showing the incident has since gone viral.

Oklahoma Principal Tackles Gunman

Last Tuesday, 7 April, at around 2:20pm, a gunman identified as a former student entered Pauls Valley High School. Newly released security footage provides a chilling look at how close the school came to tragedy before the plan was intercepted within seconds by Principal Moore, who is seen charging across the room and tackling Hawkins to the ground before he could open fire.

Then, another school employee can be seen walking in to help and take the gun away from the ex-student. During the course of the event, Moore suffered a gunshot to his leg but survived. Police units from the Pauls Valley Police Department and the Garvin County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene, placing the school on immediate lockdown.

Hawkins was arrested and is facing felony charges of shooting with the intention of killing and pointing a firearm. He also faces charges, including misdemeanor counts of carrying a weapon into a public assembly, as reported by KOCO 5, a local ABC affiliate for Oklahoma City.

Oklahoma Principal Hailed as Hero for Saving Students' Lives

The community has rallied behind Moore, whose actions are credited with preventing a mass casualty event. Since the incident, Moore was hailed as a hero.

'The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives,' Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Hunter McKee said.

Who is Kirk Moore?

Beyond his recent act of bravery, Moore is described by those in the small town of Pauls Valley as a beloved leader and a man of immense character. Moore was also a former student at the high school back in 1984, according to his Facebook profile.

Some of whom have known him for over 50 years, noted that his selflessness in the lobby was a 'no-brainer' given his personality. 'He's a hero. He wasn't thinking about himself. He was thinking about the kids,' childhood friend Harold Marcum said.

A former student, Madison Knighten, also said, 'He would do anything to save those kids.'

Another former student told KSL, 'If some student was to get harmed, he would definitely take a bullet for him. I believe that.'

Currently, Moore is healing, and in a statement released via their school's Facebook, the principal expressed his gratitude for the outpouring of support. 'I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God's hand, were available to me on Tuesday,' Moore stated.

In the rest of his statement, he said that the 'Pauls Valley schools are safe communities unaccustomed to the type of threat we witnessed on Tuesday. Nevertheless, like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessments of threats.'

He further noted that he looks forward to returning to his 'life's work educating the next generation of Oklahoma leaders,' as soon as his recovery allows.