Oklahoma High School Principal 'saved Kids' Lives' By Tackling Gunman While Being Shot In The Leg, Police Chief Says

An Oklahoma precocious schoolhouse main "saved kids' lives" past week erstwhile he tackled a gunman and was changeable successful nan limb successful nan process, nan section constabulary main said.

In a statement, Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore expressed gratitude for "an outpouring of emotion and support" pursuing past Tuesday's incident astatine nan school, astir 60 miles southbound of Oklahoma City.

In an apprehension affidavit, investigators said Victor Lee Hawkins, 20, equipped pinch 2 semiautomatic handguns, walked into nan lobby of nan schoolhouse that afternoon, told everyone to deed nan crushed and tried to sprout 1 student but was thwarted by a malfunctioning weapon.

After he cleared nan malfunction, he opened occurrence connected different student but missed, according to nan document.

The 2 students pleaded for mercy and were allowed to leave, pinch different pupils following, arsenic Moore charged retired of a adjacent doorway and tackled Hawkins from behind, pinning his look down connected a bench, removing a weapon from his manus and holding him down pinch nan thief of an adjunct principal, according to nan affidavit and schoolhouse information video.

Hawkins, a erstwhile student astatine nan school, described Moore arsenic personification he “did not like,” prosecutors alleged, and said he “wanted to behaviour his ain schoolhouse shooting for illustration nan Columbine shooters did,” referring to nan 1999 precocious schoolhouse shooting successful Colorado that ended successful the deaths of 14 victims and 2 teenage shooters.

Investigators said Hawkins admitted going to nan schoolhouse pinch 2 firearms belonging to his father, which he is alleged to person taken without permission.

He said his volition was to termination students, module members, Moore and himself, nan affidavit said.

During his confrontation pinch nan suspect, Moore was changeable successful a leg, authorities said, and he was hospitalized.

In his statement, released Friday, Moore said that he is "healthy and recovering" and that he looks guardant to returning to activity arsenic soon arsenic he is able.

Pauls Valley Police Chief Don May said successful an question and reply that Moore's football-like takedown thwarted a tragedy.

"It doesn't astonishment maine nan actions that he took, but it is amazing, nan actions that he took," he said. "There's not a uncertainty successful my mind that he saved kids' lives."

Hawkins was successful custody Tuesday astatine nan Garvin County Detention Center successful lieu of $1 cardinal bail, according to jailhouse records.

He has been charged pinch shooting pinch intent to kill, feloniously pointing a firearm and carrying a limb to a nationalist assembly, according to tribunal records. His lawyer did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Hawkins was scheduled to beryllium successful tribunal May 8 for a preliminary proceeding conference, according to tribunal records.

In his statement, Moore credited training for his reaction.

"Like truthful galore educators astir nan country, we hole for these events done training and observant appraisal of nan threats," he said. "I americium grateful that my instincts and training, arsenic good arsenic God's hand, were disposable to me."