Student dies to save others in school shooting
WASHINGTON A 21-year-old student gave his life to save others by tackling a gunman who was shooting up a university classroom, police in the US said Wednesday.
Police Chief Kerr Putney said the authorities were still trying to find a motive for Tuesday's attack at the University of North Carolina, which left undergraduate Riley Howell and another student dead.
Trystan Terrell, 22, a former student, was arrested following the shooting at the school's Charlotte campus, which also left four wounded.
Mr Putney said he had spoken to Mr Howell's father about the youngster's heroism.
"When I spoke to the father - one father to another - I told him personally, I wished I had words," he said.
"What I did tell him is, we're committed to the work, we're going to get to the bottom of it. We assured him we're going to find out the why," Mr Putney said.
The officer said Mr Howell had taken the assailant "off his feet."
"You're either going to run, hide and shield or you're going to take the fight to the assailant," he said.
Having no place to run or hide, Mr Howell chose the last option open to him.
"But for his work, the assailant may not have been disarmed," Mr Putney said. "Unfortunately, he gave his life in the process. But his sacrifice saved lives."- AFP
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