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Heartwarming

Student who saved classmates from shooting honored as Jedi

Howell was one of two students killed when a former student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte walked into a classroom building and opened fire.

Credit: AP

FILE - This undated file photo provided by Matthew Westmoreland shows Riley Howell. The North Carolina college student hailed by police as a hero for preventing more injuries and deaths after a gunman opened fire in a classroom in April 2019 has been immortalized as a Jedi by the production company for the Star Wars franchise. (Matthew Westmoreland via AP, File)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — 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.

News outlets report Riley Howell's family received a letter from Lucasfilm saying its story group has created a character in honor of Riley in the Star Wars galaxy, and it appears in a book released to coincide with the latest Star Wars movie.

Howell was one of two students killed when a former student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte walked into a classroom building and opened fire.

Police credited Howell with preventing more injuries and loss of life.

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