The Oklahoma principal who tackled a gunman inside a high school last month says that he believes “God’s hand was on all of us” during the attack.
Surveillance footage from the incident on April 7 shows Kirk Moore, the principal at Pauls Valley High School, pushing an armed former student named Victor Lee Hawkins onto a bench while another staffer kicked the gunman’s weapon away.
“I don't know what I was thinking,” Moore told CBS News. “I just knew, I was just running to get to whatever was going on.”
“I think it was just instinct,” he added. “You know, in 37 years, you go through trainings and drills and what you should do. That all goes out the window.”
In an arrest affidavit, investigators allege that Hawkins was armed with two semi-automatic pistols when he entered the school at 2.19 pm. Then, he tried to shoot one student but found that one of his weapons had malfunctioned.
After fixing the malfunction, Hawkins allegedly spotted another student and discharged his weapon.
According to the document, the second student put his hands up and pleaded with Hawkins to not shoot him. Eventually, the alleged shooter allowed the pair to leave and they fled through the school’s southwest entrance.
Then, Moore charged at the shooter and tackled him.
As he pinned Hawkins’ face to the bench, Moore removed the weapon from his hand, the document says. He and the school’s assistant principal lay on top of the alleged shooter until authorities arrived.
During their confrontation, Moore was shot in the leg.
According to the affidavit, Hawkins “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did”.
Hawkins planned to kill students, Moore, other faculty members and himself, the document reads. He allegedly obtained the weapons to carry out the shooting from his father’s closet.
The alleged shooter has since been charged with unlawful carry, shooting with intent to kill and pointing a firearm.
In a heartwarming video obtained by NBC News, Moore was later crowned prom king and dubbed “our king” at a school dance. In the footage, students can be seen cheering and high-fiving the principal.
Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May also praised Moore during an interview with NBC News.
“It doesn't surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing,” he said. “There's not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids' lives.”
In his own statement, shared by Pauls Valley Public Schools on Facebook, Moore expressed his “gratitude for the outpouring of love and support” that he had received.
“This support is the reason I am healthy and recovering today,” he wrote.
