Pauls Valley High School Principal Kirk Moore was shot in the leg Tuesday after he confronted a man who entered the school with a gun, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said. Authorities said Moore is in stable condition and that no students were injured in the shooting.
The investigation spokesman, Hunter McKee, said the suspect is a 20-year-old former student and was taken into custody after the incident. McKee said Moore and other staff members confronted the former student shortly after they noticed he entered the school with a gun.
McKee said the suspect “was able to fire multiple rounds, where the principal was hurt, but no one else was,” and he added that the actions of the staff and the principal stepping in “saved lives today.” He spoke to reporters outside the school after the shooting.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt also commented on Moore’s condition, saying Moore “acted bravely to protect students’ lives” and that he and his wife were praying for the principal’s quick recovery. Stitt said he was thankful for the “swift response from law enforcement and school staff” and that he was “grateful no students were harmed,” according to a post on the social platform X.
Pauls Valley is a community of about 6,000 people, roughly 60 miles (96 kilometers) south of Oklahoma City.