Students at an Oklahoma high school crowned their principal prom king after he charged, disarmed and was shot by an armed intruder at their campus.
Kirk Moore, the Pauls Valley high school principal, received the honor on Friday night after his students voted to honor him for having defended them.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our king,” an announcer declared at the Pauls Valley high school prom.
Video of the scene showed students cheering and celebrating as Moore received the honor, with a couple high-fiving him in congratulations. One clip showed him walking in to sound of the Nickelback song Hero, the hit theme of the 2002 film Spider-Man.
Right after someone put a crown on Moore’s head, part of the song’s chorus blared on the video: “And they say that a hero can save us / I’m not going to stand here and wait.”
The jubilant moment punctuated a sequence of events that began with the attack in which Moore intervened at about 2.30pm on 7 April at Moore’s school about 60 miles (96.6km) south of Oklahoma City, a sworn police document states.
According to investigators, the alleged attacker, Victor Lee Hawkins, had two semi-automatic handguns and fired several shots before he was disarmed by Moore and another school staff member who arrived to help. School surveillance video captured the intrusion.
Hawkins “entered the school, pointed his pistol, and yelled for everyone to get on the ground”, special agent Meric Mussett of the Oklahoma state bureau of investigation wrote in the sworn police statement.
The statement added that the alleged shooter pointed the gun at a female student in the lobby and pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned.
“Hawkins then stepped out from behind the vending machine and pointed his gun at a male student in the foyer,” Mussett’s statement said. “Principal Moore then came out of his office and charged at Hawkins.”
Moore was shot in the leg as he wrestled the attacker, a 20-year-old described in court documents as being obsessed with the 1999 shooting at Colorado’s Columbine high school in which 12 students and one teacher were killed.
Authorities praised Moore’s actions, saying he prevented a tragedy and possible mass shooting at his school.
“It doesn’t surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took,” Don May, Pauls Valley’s police department chief, told NBC News. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives.”
Investigators said the alleged attacker was a former Pauls Valley high school student.
Moore said in a statement reported by NBC that he was grateful for “an outpouring of love and support” after the attack that he thwarted.
“Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” Moore said. “I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me.”
Students at an Oklahoma high school crowned their principal prom king after he charged, disarmed and was shot by an armed intruder at their campus.
Kirk Moore, the Pauls Valley high school principal, received the honor on Friday night after his students voted to honor him for having defended them.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our king,” an announcer declared at the Pauls Valley high school prom.
Video of the scene showed students cheering and celebrating as Moore received the honor, with a couple high-fiving him in congratulations. One clip showed him walking in to sound of the Nickelback song Hero, the hit theme of the 2002 film Spider-Man.
Right after someone put a crown on Moore’s head, part of the song’s chorus blared on the video: “And they say that a hero can save us / I’m not going to stand here and wait.”
The jubilant moment punctuated a sequence of events that began with the attack in which Moore intervened at about 2.30pm on 7 April at Moore’s school about 60 miles (96.6km) south of Oklahoma City, a sworn police document states.
According to investigators, the alleged attacker, Victor Lee Hawkins, had two semi-automatic handguns and fired several shots before he was disarmed by Moore and another school staff member who arrived to help. School surveillance video captured the intrusion.
Hawkins “entered the school, pointed his pistol, and yelled for everyone to get on the ground”, special agent Meric Mussett of the Oklahoma state bureau of investigation wrote in the sworn police statement.
The statement added that the alleged shooter pointed the gun at a female student in the lobby and pulled the trigger, but the weapon malfunctioned.
“Hawkins then stepped out from behind the vending machine and pointed his gun at a male student in the foyer,” Mussett’s statement said. “Principal Moore then came out of his office and charged at Hawkins.”
Moore was shot in the leg as he wrestled the attacker, a 20-year-old described in court documents as being obsessed with the 1999 shooting at Colorado’s Columbine high school in which 12 students and one teacher were killed.
Authorities praised Moore’s actions, saying he prevented a tragedy and possible mass shooting at his school.
“It doesn’t surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took,” Don May, Pauls Valley’s police department chief, told NBC News. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives.”
Investigators said the alleged attacker was a former Pauls Valley high school student.
Moore said in a statement reported by NBC that he was grateful for “an outpouring of love and support” after the attack that he thwarted.
“Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” Moore said. “I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me.”
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The deal [was] agreed subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket.“An NOC cannot be obtained without a contract from the PSL. Islamabad United/PSL announced the signing to the world via social media,” it said.Humphries further urged the PCB to gracefully withdraw the ban and accept this situation risen out of an administrative error at its end.Muzarabani was taken by Islamabad as a replacement for West Indian pacer Shamar Joseph for USD 40,000.Published on Apr 19, 2026 #contract #signed #Muzarabani #PSL #stint #verbal #agreement #reached #PCB](https://i1.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/q4l6wd/article70881506.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/PTI04_13_2026_000435B.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1 "No contract was signed with Muzarabani for PSL stint, but verbal agreement was reached: PCB The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) admitted that no contract was ever sent to Blessing Muzarabani to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but insisted that a firm verbal agreement was reached with the Zimbabwe pacer and he had breached the trust while joining the Indian Premier League (IPL).The PCB recently imposed a two-year ban on Muzarabani from playing in the PSL claiming he breached a contract with Islamabad United and joined IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders.The fast bowler’s agent, Rob Humphries tore into the PCB on Sunday in a social media post for the ban and claimed his client neither took part in the PSL players auction nor signed any contract with Islamabad United.Humphries said the ban was excessive and unjustified.READ | Muzarabani banned from PSL for two years after signing IPL contractBut sources in the PCB while conceding no contract was signed with Rabbani claimed that a clear verbal agreement between both the parties was reached.The source said this was also clear in the PCB announcement about the ban that despite a clear offer and an unequivocal acceptance of essential terms, the player chose to disregard these obligations in favour of a conflicting arrangement.The PCB source said once essential terms — including remuneration and structure — are agreed upon through written correspondence, a binding obligation is formed.But Humphries said after talks began with Islamabad United it had made it clear that unless it had a contract they couldn’t apply for an NOC from the Zimbabwe Cricket.“We’ve remained quiet publicly over the last six weeks because we did not wish to create or cause anymore animosity for the Pakistan Super League/Pakistan Cricket Board than they had already created for themselves,” Humphries’ statement said.“[On] 13 February, Blessing [was] approached by Islamabad United about a playing opportunity for the 2026 PSL. The deal [was] agreed subject to obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Zimbabwe Cricket.“An NOC cannot be obtained without a contract from the PSL. Islamabad United/PSL announced the signing to the world via social media,” it said.Humphries further urged the PCB to gracefully withdraw the ban and accept this situation risen out of an administrative error at its end.Muzarabani was taken by Islamabad as a replacement for West Indian pacer Shamar Joseph for USD 40,000.Published on Apr 19, 2026 #contract #signed #Muzarabani #PSL #stint #verbal #agreement #reached #PCB")
