Not even a bullet could stop this principal from taking down a Columbine massacre-obsessed school shooter
He saved many lives that day.
Not even a bullet could stop Oklahoma principal Kirk Moore from taking down a Columbine-obsessed school shooter on April 7, 2026. According to NY Post, newly released surveillance footage shows the 60-year-old charging at armed ex-student Victor Lee Hawkins moments after being shot in the leg, preventing what could have been a far deadlier attack.
The video, obtained by local news outlets, captures the terrifying moment Hawkins, 20, opened fire in the lobby of Pauls Valley High School. Court documents reveal Hawkins told investigators he “didn’t like Principal Moore” and “went to the school to kill” him. He ordered everyone in the lobby to get on the floor before his weapon malfunctioned as he tried to shoot a student. When he turned his gun on another student, who begged him not to fire, Moore rushed in.
Hawkins pointed his pistol directly at Moore’s head and pulled the trigger. The bullet struck Moore’s right leg, but the principal didn’t hesitate. He tackled Hawkins, shoving him toward a bench before pinning him down. Moore managed to trap Hawkins’ right hand, preventing him from firing again, and the gun clattered to the floor. Another adult in a red shirt sprinted into the frame, helping Moore subdue the shooter and kick the weapon away.
Moore was the only person injured in the attack
Hunter McKee of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation praised the staff’s response, saying, “The actions of the staff and the principal stepping in as soon as they saw a subject with a firearm saved lives today.” Pauls Valley superintendent Brett Knight called Moore a “hero” saying, “He’s actually been a mentor to me. He was kinda the one that kind of helped me when I was first hired.”
Councilman Kahn Nirschl echoed the sentiment, saying he was “so appreciative” of Moore’s intervention and that Moore “undoubtedly saved lives today through his actions.” Hawkins, who allegedly stole the guns from his father, admitted to investigators he “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did.”
His obsession with the April 20, 1999, massacre, which left 13 dead and 24 injured, comes just over a year after the death of Anne Marie Hochhalter, one of Columbine’s most resilient survivors. Hochhalter, who was paralyzed in the attack, passed away in February 2025 at the age of 43 from natural causes. She had spent nearly 26 years in a wheelchair after being shot in the back and chest while eating lunch in the school cafeteria.
Hochhalter became a symbol of strength for the Columbine community
She was known for her advocacy and refusal to let trauma define her. In 2016, she publicly supported Sue Klebold, the mother of Columbine shooter Dylan Klebold, after Sue released a book about her grief and shame. Hochhalter said she had forgiven Sue, though she wasn’t sure if she’d ever read the book. She also spoke out in support of Sandy Hook families in 2012, offering solidarity to those affected by another school shooting.
Her former principal, Frank DeAngelis, remembered her as a “pillar of strength” and an inspiration. Hochhalter’s brother Nathan, who was also at Columbine during the shooting, was trapped in a classroom for four hours before SWAT rescued him and other students. Their mother, Carla Hochhalter, took her own life months after the attack, unable to cope with the trauma.
In April 2024, Hochhalter attended a vigil marking the 25th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, something she couldn’t do for the 20th anniversary due to post-traumatic stress disorder. She reflected on her healing journey, writing, “I’ve truly been able to heal my soul since that awful day in 1999. It ebbs and flows, triggered by certain moments, taking us back to memories we once thought were frozen in time.”
She described how this anniversary brought back happy memories of her teenage years — music, basketball, sleepovers, and even beating Tetris on the computer — rather than the trauma she’d long associated with the event.
Hochhalter’s legacy of resilience makes Hawkins’ attempted attack even more chilling
Hawkins fixation on Columbine, a tragedy that continues to haunt survivors and families decades later, underscores how deeply the 1999 massacre still influences copycat threats. Hawkins has been charged with shooting with intent to kill and other firearm-related offenses. He’s set to appear in court on May 8.
Moore’s actions, however, stand as a stark contrast to the violence Hawkins idolized. After being hospitalized, Moore said he’s “healthy and recovering,” a small but meaningful victory in the face of yet another school shooting attempt. The Pauls Valley community is rallying around Moore, whose 35 years of service in the school district culminated in an act of bravery that likely prevented a much larger tragedy.
(Featured image: Fibonacci Blue)
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