An Oklahoma high school principal was shot in the leg after confronting a former student who entered the school armed with a gun.
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Pauls Valley High School principal Kirk Moore stepped in when 20-year-old Victor Hawkins walked into the school lobby with a firearm on Tuesday afternoon.
Moore was later airlifted to OU Health in Oklahoma City, where officials confirmed he is in stable condition.
High School Principal Shot After Confronting Armed Former Student
Authorities say Hawkins entered the school at approximately 2:20 p.m.
Moore and several staff members quickly identified the threat and confronted him inside the building.
According to local outlet KOCO, "several shots" were fired during the incident, with Moore struck in the leg.
No students or additional staff members were injured.
Police arrived shortly after and arrested Hawkins at the scene. He was booked into Garvin County Jail on two counts of "pointing a firearm, one count of shooting with intent to kill, and two counts of unlawful carry."
"I didn't expect this to happen, especially because this is a small town," student Belen Dominguez said. "And it just came out of nowhere. It's scary. I would never expect this to happen, especially to our school."
Principal Praised for Actions That 'Saved Lives'
Moore has since been praised for his actions. Officials have credited him and the school staff for preventing further harm.
"The subject was able to fire multiple rounds, where the principal was hurt, but no one else was," Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation spokesman Hunter McKee told reporters.
"The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today."
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also commended Moore, saying he "acted bravely to protect students' lives."
In a post on X, the governor thanked the "swift response" from law enforcement and school staff. Stitt added that he and his wife are praying for Moore's recovery.
He concluded by saying he was "grateful no students were harmed."
In a separate incident in Oklahoma, police responded to a domestic situation that escalated into an "hours-long standoff" involving an armed suspect.
The situation continued into the early hours of Thursday morning before the individual eventually surrendered.
Authorities evacuated the surrounding neighborhood during the standoff. Police later confirmed that at least one officer discharged a weapon, though it remains unclear whether the suspect was struck.
No further details about the individual have been released.
