It looks like Lucasfilm has decided to honor the hero who was killed in the UNC-Charlotte shooting by naming him as a Star Wars Jedi.
Riley Howell was killed in April this year when he stopped a shooter at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. The 21-year-old charged and tackled the gunman who opened fire in a classroom in the University, stopping the gunman from shooting even more people in the campus. Police officials have praised Howell as a hero for his actions.
Now, it seems like Lucasfilm has decided to honor Howell's bravery and sacrifice by giving him a entry in the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker – The Visual Dictionary. Howell had been a Star Wars fan, and had the attack never happened in UNC, he would have seen the third and final film in Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy.
According to a report by The Charlotte Observer (via NPR), Lucasfilm's newly released book included a character named after the young hero, reserving an entry for "Jedi Master and historian Ri-Lee Howell." The character Ri-Lee is credited with gathering "many of the earliest accounts of exploration and codifications of The Force."
Fans can also find Howell's character in an official entry on Wookieepedia, the wiki for Star Wars.
It's lovely seeing Lucasfilm honor Howell's memory by turning him into a Jedi. It might not bring his life back, but it's a great way to remember his bravery and his heroism – traits of a true Jedi.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is currently screening in cinemas.
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