Oklahoma principal who tackled gunman gets emotional prom king welcome

PAULS VALLEY, OKLAHOMA: Weeks after taking a bullet and tackling a gunman, Oklahoma high school principal Kirk Moore found himself crowned prom king.

Students at Pauls Valley High School turned their annual dance into a tribute Friday night, honoring the 60-year-old educator who quite literally put his life on the line. Moore had been shot in the leg earlier this month while wrestling down a former student armed with two loaded semi-automatic pistols.

The heartwarming coronation was captured on video and shows Moore walking through a roaring crowd of students, exchanging high-fives as the DJ cranked up Nickelback’s ‘Hero.’

“Ladies and gentlemen, our king,” he declared.

The split-second takedown

The celebration comes after a tense April 7 incident that could have ended in tragedy. Surveillance footage showed Moore charging toward 20-year-old gunman Victor Lee Hawkins moments after he was seen waving a pistol around inside the school lobby.

Moore, a district employee for more than 35 years, rushed toward the gunman without hesitation. As Hawkins turned and fired at him, the principal tackled the shooter, forcing him toward a bench, and pinning him down long enough to subdue him.

Another staff member soon joined in, helping restrain Hawkins until police arrived.

Authorities later revealed chilling details about the suspect’s intent. According to court documents, Hawkins told cops he “didn’t like Principal Moore” and had come to the school to “kill him.”

He also admitted to stealing the guns from his father and said he “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did,” referencing the 1999 massacre that left 14 victims dead.

Officials lauded Moore’s actions in the heat of the moment. “The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” said Hunter McKee of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May added, “It doesn’t surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took. There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives.”

Recovery and a hero’s perspective

Moore was hospitalized following the shooting but has since been on the mend. Speaking to NBC News, he said he was “healthy and recovering” and that he “looks forward to returning to work” as soon as possible.

Despite the hero status now attached to his name, Moore himself attributed his success to preparation rather than bravado. “Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” he said in a statement. “I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me.”

He also thanked the community for what he described as “an outpouring of love and support.”

As for Hawkins, he now faces serious consequences. He’s been charged with shooting with intent to kill and other firearm-related offenses. Jail records show he’s being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to return to court on May 8.