Hero principal who disarmed school shooter crowned prom king

20 Apr 2026 • 3:55 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Hero principal who disarmed school shooter crowned prom king

  • Kirk Moore, a high school principal in Oklahoma, was crowned prom king weeks after being shot while disarming a school shooter.
  • Moore was lauded for his heroic actions, tackling former student Victor Lee Hawkins who had entered Pauls Valley High School and began firing a pistol.
  • Surveillance footage showed Moore disarming Hawkins and staying on top of him until police arrived, preventing any student injuries.
  • Hawkins, 20, told investigators he intended to carry out a mass shooting 'like the Columbine shooters did,' targeting students, Moore, and then himself.
  • Hawkins has been charged with multiple offences, including shooting with intent to kill, and is being held on a $1 million bond after pleading not guilty.

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