Oklahoma governor praises principal who helped ‘protect students’ lives’ in school shooting

A high school shooting in Oklahoma could have ended very differently without the intervention of the school’s principal, who sustained injuries April 7 after being shot by a former student.

“I’ve spoken to Pauls Valley (High School) Superintendent Dr. Brett Knight regarding the shooting at the high school where Principal Kirk Moore was injured,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement quoted by the local ABC affiliate.

“Principal Moore acted bravely to protect students’ lives. Sarah and I are praying for his quick recovery. I’m thankful for the swift response from law enforcement and school staff, and I’m grateful no students were harmed.”

Intentions ‘to commit a mass shooting’

The news outlet identified the man accused of the shooting – Victor Hawkins, 20 – as a former student of the school.

The shooting occurred in the afternoon after Hawkins entered the lobby, according to law enforcement.

“The principal of the school had noticed that an adult male subject, 20 years old, had stepped foot into the school with a gun,” said Hunter McKee, public information officer at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. “When the principal noticed this, he quickly stepped in, as well as other staff. The subject was able to fire multiple rounds, where the principal was hurt, but no one else was.”

Moore and other school staffers successfully subdued Hawkins, who was arrested and taken to the county jail “on two counts of pointing a firearm, one count of shooting with intent to kill and two counts of unlawful carry,” according to the article.

“The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today,” McKee concluded.

Moore was shot in the leg but is recovering and in stable condition, according to the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office.

“Court documents state that Hawkins intended to commit a mass shooting at the school and admitted that he was influenced by the Columbine school shooting,” wrote the ABC affiliate in a follow-up article. “During an arraignment on Wednesday, Hawkins told a judge he had every intention of going inside the school to shoot students, faculty and then himself.”

‘Are we doing everything we can do to keep schools safe?’

Administrators are still investigating how Hawkins was able to gain access into the school, according to the ABC affiliate.

“It is unclear whether the lobby doors were unlocked or what security measures were in place between the lobby and the hallways.”

Oklahoma State Superintendent Lindel Fields told journalists he would be discussing security measures with districts after this incident.

“It’s certainly going to make us pause and think, are we doing everything we can do to keep schools safe?” he said. “You’d like to think you are, but then this happens. So, right now it’s a matter of what resources can we bring to the table for the local school, and we’ll be having conversations about whether we are doing enough.”