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Newly released video shows the moment an Oklahoma high school principal confronted and tackled a gunman after he opened fire inside the school.
The footage shows Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore confronting the suspect — identified as 20-year-old former student Victor Hawkins — after he walked into the building on April 7.
Moore was shot in the leg during the confrontation and was airlifted to a hospital in stable condition, authorities said.
The video also shows someone opening a door and allowing the suspected shooter into the building.
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Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore confronted and subdued a gunman after he opened fire inside the school, authorities said. (KOKH)
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) told KFOR-TV it does not believe the individual was working with the suspect. Investigators have not determined whether the person who opened the door was a student or staff member, a spokesperson said.
An OSBI spokesperson told Digital there are no other suspects in the incident.
Authorities said the shooting unfolded around 2:21 p.m., prompting a lockdown until officers cleared the scene. Moore and other staff subdued the gunman until law enforcement arrived and arrested Hawkins.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Hawkins entered the school carrying two loaded semi-automatic pistols.
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Victor Hawkins, a 20-year-old former student at the school, is facing multiple charges in connection with the shooting, including shooting with intent to kill. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
The affidavit states Moore ran to the lobby after hearing gunfire, where Hawkins allegedly fired at him, striking him in the leg.
Moore then “wrestled with Hawkins on a bench in the foyer and was able to remove Hawkins’ pistol from his hand,” according to the affidavit. Moore and other staff held the suspect down until officers arrived.
Hawkins was charged last week with one count of shooting with intent to kill, one count of carrying a weapon into a public assembly, and two counts of feloniously pointing a firearm.
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Pauls Valley High School principal Kirk Moore was the only person injured during the shooting at Pauls Valley High School in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
Court documents reviewed by the outlet show Hawkins studied the Columbine school shooting and told investigators he “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did.”
After entering the school, Hawkins allegedly pointed a gun and yelled for people to “get on the ground,“ KFOR reported.
He then pointed a gun at a student and attempted to fire, but the weapon malfunctioned, according to the affidavit.
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Victor Hawkins, 20, was arrested in connection with the shooting at Pauls Valley High School in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)
Hawkins attempted to clear the malfunction before later firing at another student, who raised his hands and pleaded not to be shot, the affidavit states.
According to investigators, Hawkins lowered his weapon and told the students to leave.
The OSBI said Moore and school staff acted quickly to stop the attack.
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“The principal of the school had noticed that an adult male subject, 20 years old, had stepped foot into the school with a gun,” OSBI spokesperson Hunter McKee told KOCO-TV. “When the principal noticed this, he quickly stepped in, as well as other staff. The subject was able to fire multiple rounds, where the principal was hurt, but no one else was.”
“The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” McKee added.
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Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
