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An armed man killed two people when he opened fire on Tuesday at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. The police described one of those he would have murdered as a "hero" because of what happened in his last moments.
Riley Howell, 21, from Waynesville, is likely to be the latest victim of school shootings, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Kerr Putney told reporters on Wednesday.
UNIC CHARLOTTE SHOOTING VICTIMS IDENTIFIED, SUSPECT SEEN SMIRKING ALL IN THE GUARD
The alleged gunman, identified as Trystan Andrew Terrell, 22, met Howell in a campus building, which the police said Terrell had chosen for a reason, with a legally purchased handgun.
Putney said that Howell "did exactly what we train people to do."
In this September 1, 2017 photo provided by Matthew Westmoreland, we see Riley Howell, on the right.
(Matthew Westmoreland via AP)
"You can either run away, hide and protect yourself, or you will fight the assailant," said the police chief. "Having no place to hide and hide, he made the last one."
It would be a "euphemism" to say that Howell attacked the shooter, but that it would be "appropriate," Putney said. He added that if Howell did not address the shooter, he "may not have been disarmed".
Riley Howell, 21, was shot dead Tuesday when an armed gunman opened fire on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, police said.
(Photo of the yearbook)
"Unfortunately, he gave his life in the process, but his sacrifice saved lives," he said of Howell. "What he did, is that he took off the assailant, and then the heroes we have here were able to apprehend him from there."
Putney described Howell as "the first and most important hero [he’s] worried "about the shooting, which also killed 19-year-old Ellis Parlier.
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Four students, identified as 19-year-old Drew Pescaro; Sean Dehart, age 20; Rami Alramadhan, 20 years old; and Emily Houpt, 23, were injured in the attack.
Terrell was charged on Wednesday morning with two counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder, four counts of armed assault with intent to kill, possession of a firearm on land for educational purposes and discharge of fire arms.
Travis Fedschun of Fox News contributed to this report.
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