CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The UNC Charlotte student who tackled a shooter on campus earlier this week will be buried with full military honors.
NBC affiliate WCNC reports the announcement was made Friday afternoon at a rally in uptown where students and activists gathered to raise awareness about gun violence.
On Wednesday an online petition was started to have 21-year-old Riley Howell to be given a burial with full military honors.
As of Saturday morning, there were more than 28,000 signatures. The petition needed 100,000 signatures by May 31 to get a response from the White House.
“Riley was an ROTC cadet and would have served his country,” the petition read. “Instead, he died saving the lives of his classmates.”
Howell and Ellis Parlier were killed in Tuesday’s shooting; four others were hurt.
The suspect was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and four counts of attempted murder.
