Riley Howell, the college student who prevented more deaths after a gunman opened fire in a classroom in April 2019. Image: Courtesy of Matthew Westmoreland via AP
A North Carolina college student hailed by police as a hero for preventing more injuries and deaths after a gunman opened fire in a classroom has now been immortalized as a Jedi by the production company for the Star Wars franchise.
黑料社 outlets report the family of Riley Howell, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) student who is described as a huge Star Wars fan, was tipped off by Lucasfilm, in May that it planned to honor him in a forthcoming book, 鈥淪tar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker 鈥� The Visual Dictionary鈥�. The book was released by publisher DK to coincide with the release of the new film 鈥淪tar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker鈥�.
In May, the fan relations team for Lucasfilm wrote a letter to Howell鈥檚 family expressing condolences.
鈥淩iley鈥檚 courage and selflessness brings out the Jedi in all of us,鈥� wrote fan relations team member Lucas Seastrom. 鈥淲e hope that you may rejoice in his memory, and we join you in honoring his life and example.鈥�
鈥淎s a small tribute, our Story Group has incorporated a reimagining of Riley鈥檚 name as a character in the Star Wars galaxy,鈥� Seastrom added. 鈥� The Force will be with Riley, and all of you, always鈥︹��
The entry in the book is just 66 words, but credits Jedi master and historian 鈥淩i-Lee Howell鈥� with collecting 鈥渕any of the earliest accounts of exploration and codifications of The Force.鈥�
Riley Howell鈥檚 mother, Natalie Henry-Howell, told The Charlotte Observer that this actually marks the second time her son has appeared in a 鈥淪tar Wars鈥� book: When he was a little boy, an uncle had a personalized book made for Riley that put him in the starring role of 鈥淭he Phantom Menace鈥�.
鈥淚t was a big hit of a gift,鈥� she recalls, noting that the inclusion in the new book is far more significant.
鈥淎nd I like the way they actually left his last name,鈥� Henry-Howell says. 鈥淚 think he would really be appreciative of that. Because, you know, they could have just said Ri-Lee 鈥� Jedi Ri-Lee 鈥� and we鈥檇 be guessing the whole time about whether or not that was really [him], but they put his last name in there just to really honor him, and that really made me cry when I heard about it.鈥�
The entire family went to see the new movie on opening night. They brought his ashes, and left a seat open for him.
鈥淚 think,鈥� Henry-Howell says, 鈥渉e would have liked the way it ended.鈥�
Howell, 21, and a classmate died April 30 when a gunman opened fire in a classroom in the Kennedy building on UNCC鈥檚 campus. Four other students were injured, but police say Howell鈥檚 actions prevented more injuries or loss of life.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e either going to run, hide and shield, or you鈥檙e going to take the fight to the assailant,鈥� Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department chief Kerr Putney said. 鈥淗aving no place to run and hide, he did the last.鈥�
Lauren Westmoreland, Howell鈥檚 longtime girlfriend, said in an email, that the honor of becoming a Jedi was one that was closest to his heart.
鈥淭hough he wasn鈥檛 an artist, he loved to draw the clone trooper helmets all the time, sometimes even on my birthday cards,鈥� Westmoreland said.
Lauren鈥檚 father, Kevin Westmoreland, said Howell studied the Star Wars universe for most of his life.
鈥淗e had a very strong sense of good and evil, and how to live life as someone who looked out for others,鈥� Westmoreland said. 鈥淪eeing him listed as both a Jedi and a historian in Star Wars lore is a perfect way to connect him to this story and the characters he loved.鈥澛�RGA
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