“Hero” Oklahoma Principal Honored As Prom King After Stopping School Shooter
on Apr 21, 2026
Oklahoma Principal Intervenes Gunman
An Oklahoma high school principal was named prom king just weeks after being shot while intervening to stop a gunman on campus.
Authorities said 20-year-old Victor Hawkins allegedly entered Pauls Valley High School armed with a gun on April 7. Principal Kirk Moore confronted and subdued him before law enforcement arrived.
During the incident, Moore was shot in the leg and later treated at a nearby hospital for what were described as minor injuries. No other injuries were reported, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Details Surrounding The Incident
Security camera footage released April 14 captured the moment the suspect entered the school lobby with a gun.
At least two other individuals can be seen inside as Principal Moore rushes in and tackles him. A second school employee quickly follows, helping to restrain the suspect and remove the weapon.
Officials said the school was placed on lockdown during the incident until authorities secured the scene.
Hawkins was later reported as a former student of the school, located about 60 miles south of Oklahoma City. He was taken into custody at the scene and is facing charges that include shooting with intent to kill.
Principal Kirk Moore Honored As Prom King
According to local news outlets, students at Pauls Valley High School surprised Principal Moore with a special honor during their prom on Friday (April 17). Video from the event shows Moore walking through a cheering crowd of students, receiving high-fives as Nickelback’s “Hero” plays in the background.
“Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” Moore said in a prior statement. “I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me on Tuesday.”
One student explained that the school never truly crowns a king and queen at prom, yet a form was sent around to vote for their friends.
“I look over at Principal Moore, and he looked at me, and kind of smirked, and I was like, ‘I see you!'” the student recalled.
Moore’s family friend, Brenda Agee, told a local news outlet that Moore was ecstatic to receive the honor.
“The kids were so excited… they were cheering him on, and he was just grinning ear-to-ear, and they put the crown on him,” Agee said. “You’d have thought he won a million dollars!”
