PAULS VALLEY, Okla. – Two weeks ago, an armed gunman entered Pauls Valley High School with the plan to do significant harm, according to police. However, when Principal Kirk Moore heard the commotion, he jumped in and intervened, saving lives and becoming a hero.
Moore tackled the gunman and disarmed him, being wounded in the process.
“It was heroic what he did,” said Andy Harrison, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Pauls Valley, where Moore attends.
“He put his life on the line for his students,” Harrison said.
Moore has attended Trinity for the past two years. In that time, he has displayed his deep faith, humbleness and selflessness.
“(Moore) is a humble guy and doesn’t want any attention from this at all,” Harrison said.
The pastor first heard about the incident from another pastor who had called to inform him there had been an attempted shooting.
Harrison drove to the school immediately, not knowing the full details of what had happened. Upon arriving, he spoke to a first responder and learned that Moore had been shot in the leg while stopping the shooter.
“While an incident like this is truly shocking, we were not surprised by Kirk’s bravery,” Harrison said. “(Moore) has been in the school system for the last 35 years. He wants what’s best for the kids.”
Moore was taken to the hospital, and Harrison followed. After surgery, Moore asked to see Harrison. When he entered the room, Harrison saw that Moore was in good spirits, and his thoughts were not only on himself, but on the gunman as well.
“Moore asked me to pray for him and even for the gunman,” Harrison said. “Moore is a very selfless man.”
Members of Trinity Baptist constantly pray for their community’s safety among other things. Harrison said that God showed His goodness that day in protecting Pauls Valley High School and honoring their prayers. In addition to Moore’s heroic actions, the gunman’s firearm reportedly jammed, giving time for nearby students to flee.
“In that kind of situation, you don’t really know how you’d react,” Harrison said. “But we know how Kirk Moore would react.”
On May 7, Trinity Baptist will host a prayer event in partnership with other churches in the community. The event, “Pauls Valley Strong,” will be a night of worship, prayer and gratefulness. The event is intended to draw Pauls Valley together to commit to “being a people of reconciliation and not violence,” Harrison said.
This article originally appeared in the Baptist Messenger.
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