By Joshua Huff, sports editor
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte student who sacrificed his life to protect his classmates as a shooter rampaged throughout campus has been honored as a Jedi Master by Lucasfilm.
Riley Howell, 21, who was a life-long Star Wars fan, was killed on April 30 as he tackled a gunman who entered his classroom. His actions, which neutralized the suspect, allowed arresting officers to take the gunman into custody. Howell was shot at least three times during the altercation.
His bravery saved lives during the shooting spree, which killed two people and left four injured.
“He took the fight to the assailant. Unfortunately he had to give his life to do so, but he saved lives doing so,” Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney said to reporters following the incident.
Howell, who was a scholar of Star Wars, has now been immortalized in Star Wars canon with his inclusion in the newly published “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker — The Visual Dictionary,” which was released on Dec. 20. His character, Jedi Master Ri-Lee Howell, is a historian who “collected many of the earliest accounts of explorations and codifications of the Force in the Aionomica.”
Mark Hamill, who plays legendary Luke Skywalker, tweeted out his support of the move.
“SHOUT OUT to RILEY HOWELL whose courage & selflessness confronting senseless gun-violence is inspirational to us all-This real-life hero has become Jedi Master RI-LEE HOWELL in the official #StarWars canon,” Hamill wrote. “May his memory live on from here to eternity!”
Howell’s girlfriend, Lauren Westmoreland, told Time that Howell loved to draw clone trooper helmets “all the time, sometimes even on my birthday cards because I always liked to draw him things for his birthday.” Howell had little Star Wars figurines all throughout his room, Westmoreland added, which he had since he was a child.
In a statement following his death, Howell’s family said he was selfless, had a big heart and was a huge Star Wars fan.
“He loved Star Wars, birds, cards, snowboarding, going to the lake, Kentucky Hot Browns cooking from scratch with cast iron while listening to the Feel Good Classic Soul playlist, and his Lauren,” his family said.