Video Shows High School Principal Taking Down Gunman

The newly released footage from Pauls Valley High School captures a confrontation that escalated in seconds but ultimately prevented a far worse outcome. At the center of it is Principal Kirk Moore, who moved toward danger rather than away from it after a former student entered the building armed and already firing.

According to investigators, the suspect, 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, walked into the school carrying two loaded semi-automatic pistols.

The video shows the moment he gained access—through a door opened from inside—though authorities have made clear they do not believe that individual was knowingly assisting him. That detail remains unresolved, but the focus quickly shifts to what happened next.

Gunfire broke the routine of the school day at around 2:21 p.m. Moore, alerted by the sound, ran toward the lobby. What followed was not hesitation but direct engagement. Hawkins fired, striking Moore in the leg. Despite the injury, Moore closed the distance.

The affidavit describes a physical struggle on a bench in the foyer, where Moore managed to wrestle a firearm away from the gunman. Other staff joined in, helping restrain Hawkins until law enforcement arrived.

The sequence outlined by investigators suggests the situation could have unfolded very differently. Hawkins allegedly attempted to fire at a student, but the weapon malfunctioned. He then tried again, pointing the gun at another student who pleaded for his life.

For reasons still unclear, Hawkins did not fire in that moment and instead told students to leave. Within minutes, staff intervention brought the attack to an end.

Authorities have since charged Hawkins with multiple felonies, including shooting with intent to kill. Court documents add a disturbing layer, indicating he had studied prior school shootings and intended to carry out a similar act.

Moore was airlifted to a hospital and listed in stable condition. His actions, along with those of the staff who assisted him, are now central to how officials describe the outcome. The response was immediate, physical, and decisive—interrupting an attack that had already begun and limiting the damage to a single injury.