Students crown Oklahoma hero principal prom king weeks after he stopped attempted school shooting

What began arsenic a emblematic prom successful a municipality southwest of Oklahoma City became a astonishment tribute erstwhile Principal Kirk Moore was crowned king weeks aft heroically redeeming the lives of students by bravely tackling a suspected Columbine-inspired gunman. 

"It was decidedly an astonishing experience, and it conscionable felt bully to the psyche knowing we were giving him the grant that helium deserves," said inferior Rachel Hamilton.

Camera footage released April 7 from Pauls Valley High School shows Moore getting changeable successful the limb portion tackling the alleged gunman, identified arsenic 20-year-old erstwhile pupil Victor Lee Hawkins. 

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Authorities accidental that, successful the Columbine-inspired attack, Hawkins entered the schoolhouse lobby with 2 semiautomatic handguns, ordered radical to the crushed and attempted to sprout a pupil earlier his weapon malfunctioned, and helium was stopped by Moore.

"I deliberation determination were truthful galore things that happened that weren't conscionable coincidences," said Hamilton. "It was truly God watching implicit america all."

Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore was crowned the school's prom king aft heroically tackling a gunman who opened occurrence connected campus. (Burk Ozbirn Oz Productions via Storyful)

In her interrogation connected America Reports Monday, she emphasized that divine involution prevented much tragedies. 

Around 2:20 p.m., Hamilton was making her mode done the courtyard, the approximate clip Hawkins attempted to attack.

"I retrieve I was walking, and I heard this crash, and evidently you don't deliberation it’s a shooter," she said.

She continued toward the tennis courts, similar immoderate mean day, earlier learning Moore had been shot.

"I was the lone 1 extracurricular successful the courtyard," she said. "He could've travel successful that way, and determination were nary adults around."

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Junior Isaac Jacobson learned the severity of the concern arsenic it unfolded disconnected campus.

Officials extracurricular Pauls Valley High School, wherever a shooting April 7, 2026, injured Principal Kirk Moore adjacent Oklahoma City, Okla. (Jessie Christopher Smith/The Oklahoman/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

"If immoderate condition went differently, radical would’ve died," Jacobson said. "If his weapon didn’t misfire, oregon if Moore wasn’t determination astatine that moment, things would’ve been different. Just the sheer magnitude of coincidences that happened surrounding that situation, I don't spot immoderate different mode different than God's hand."

As Jacobson approached his car, similar immoderate different extremity to a schoolhouse day, helium saw a horde of constabulary officers springing into the building. The adjacent hr was filled with anxiety.

Unable to scope his friends owed to Oklahoma schools’ telephone ban, which prohibits the usage of cellphones from the archetypal doorbell to dismissal, helium feared the worst. 

"I’m lone 17," Jacobson said. "I’m not acceptable to suffer my friends."

He was aboriginal relieved to larn immoderate of his friends narrowly avoided being successful the bureau wherever the confrontation occurred aft they "stopped to spot a random teacher" instead.

The totality of each these circumstances, the weapon misfiring, Moore’s nonstop positioning, Jacobson’s friends’ alteration of plans oregon wherever Hawkins chose to participate the schoolhouse led Hamilton and Jacobson to judge it is nonstop grounds of the Lord’s manus astatine work.

A fewer weeks later, the 2 students said they felt the prom felt similar a infinitesimal of alleviation and an accidental to observe and travel unneurotic aft what they believed was some carnal and spiritual protection.

"Everybody seemed – not similar we were not implicit it, but celebrating however good it went," said Jacobson. "I went up and shook his [Moore’s] manus and thanked him for everything due to the fact that I hadn't gotten to that point."

Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore was crowned the school's prom king aft heroically tackling a gunman who opened occurrence connected campus. (Burk Ozbirn Oz Productions via Storyful)

The 2 past reflected connected the aftermath of what they and their assemblage had endured.

Even though she admits "it’s benignant of cliché," Hamilton says she feels you person to unrecorded your beingness to the fullest; tomorrow’s not guaranteed, particularly from a spiritual stance.

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"Ultimately, beyond the fear, it gives maine anticipation knowing that there’s bully radical similar Coach Moore and others," said Jacobson. "It gives maine anticipation we’re capable to measurement successful and that this bravery won’t conscionable beryllium thrown away."

According to tribunal records, Hawkins was charged with 2 counts of unlawful carry, 2 counts of pointing a weapon and 1 number of shooting with intent to kill. He pleaded not blameworthy astatine his arraignment, and his bail was acceptable astatine $1 million. 

His preliminary proceeding is scheduled for May 8.