They ran, hid, and fought. Now survivors of the UNC Charlotte shooting remember those lost and start to heal.
Students in professor Adam Johnson's Liberal Studies class Tuesday were in the first day of final presentations a little after 5 p.m. when a gunman entered the back door of the room and opened fire.
Sunday marks five days since two UNC Charlotte students were killed and four others were injured in a shooting on the university's campus.
Students in professor Adam Johnson's Liberal Studies class Tuesday were in the first day of final presentations a little after 5 p.m. when a gunman entered the back door of the room and opened fire. With his fellow students running for safety, Riley Howell took action and jumped on the shooter, taking him to the ground.
Howell gave his life in that moment but he saved countless others. The shooter was taken into custody and faces a dozen charges, including two counts of murder.
On Sunday, Howell, an ROTC cadet, will be laid to rest with full military honors in his hometown of Waynesville, North Carolina. Wells Funeral Homes handled the arrangements.
"The family is profoundly moved by the outpouring of love and support shown by our friends, family, community, and people around the country we have never even met," the obituary read. "Riley died the way he lived, putting others first. Our hope is that his example resonates with everyone."
"We are just beyond proud of what he was able to do" Riley Howell died a hero at UNC Charlotte. To those who knew him best, he already was one.
Those who knew him in Waynesville say he was one of a kind. He had a huge heart.
"You ask anybody, pretty much, around here and they know the name Riley Howell," said one person. "He was a good guy."
They all say he put others first. So it wasn't a surprise when his parents learned of their son's heroic actions.
"While kids were running one way, our son turned and ran towards the shooter," said Natalie Howell, Riley's mother. "And I can just picture it, I can picture him being big, and large, and trying to protect people behind him and he just died in the process of taking him down."
For Howell's younger siblings, he was more than just a big brother. He was a role model and the person they looked up to more than anyone else.
"All of these people are calling him a hero and stuff but he's always been my hero," Howell's younger brother told NBC News. "There's nothing like a big brother and I just really love him so much."
"Reed was really a nice guy" Often soft-spoken, Ellis "Reed" Parlier was a friend to nearly everyone he met.
Parlier was the second UNCC student killed in Tuesday's shooting. The 19-year-old was a graduate from Union County's Central Academy of Technology & Arts in 2017.
A high school classmate of Parlier said he was quiet but when he did speak, he'd say something funny and memorable.
"Whenever you saw him, you could say hi to him, and you knew that he knew who you were and you could talk to him if you needed to," said Madison Clevenger.
While at CATA, Parlier was a part of the school's IT Academy during his junior year.
A prayer vigil was held for Parlier at Matthews Presbyterian Church Wednesday.
His family issued a statement this week asking for privacy during this difficult time, saying in part, "The family is still in shock and grieving over their loss. At this point, no one in the family is in a position to make a statement or answer any questions related to this tragedy."
Funeral arrangements were handled by Gaskin Funeral Services. There will be no public visitation.
The beginning of a long recovery Four students injured in Tuesday's shooting are expected to make a recovery but it will be a long, difficult road for their families.
UNCC Chancellor Philip Dubois said Wednesday all four students who were injured in the shooting are expected to be OK. To date, three of the four have been released from the hospital. Only 19-year-old Drew Pescaro remains hospitalized after surgery Tuesday night.
Dubois made the announcement on WBT Radio with former Gov. Pat McCrory.
"The only silver lining this morning is the four other students that were injured look like they're going to be fine. Two of them had surgery and are still in the hospital, one was released," Dubois said. "When this is all past, we'll do a review of what happened to be sure that we did everything that we trained ourselves to do."
Dubois said one of the victims, 23-year-old Emily Houpt, is expected to walk at graduation to receive her degree. The Charlotte native majored in International Studies. Sean Dehart, a 20-year-old from Apex, N.C., was released from the hospital early Wednesday, according to Dubois.
Rami Alramadhan posted an update to Instagram this week thanking the Charlotte community for their prayers and support. The 20-year-old from Saudi Arabia majors in mechanical engineering.
Pescaro is a sports writer for the Niner Times and is a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Pescaro is part of the UNCC class of 2021 and he was reportedly out of surgery by Wednesday morning.
A professor's chilling account In a post titled, "The Story of a Mass Shooting Survivor and Anthropologist," Adam Johnson reflected on the ordeal, the aftermath and the shooter.
Johnson, an anthropology professor, said he arrived at his Liberal Studies class on the first day of final presentations around 5:15 p.m. Johnson said the first presentation was underway when the shooting began.
"We get about seven minutes into the video, and without warning, earsplitting bangs ring throughout the room, off the glass walls, creating a terrible reverberation," he wrote.
Johnson said he and some students sought shelter in the anthropology department chair's office. He told the chair there was an active shooter and to call 911.
"After approximately four minutes (however it felt like four hours) we see police officers rushing by the building in the direction of the incident," wrote Johnson.
"Without my partner and my former professors, I think I would have slipped into a dire mental state," he wrote. "But they uplifted me and again remind me that I am loved and that I am so lucky to have them as friends and family."
Johnson wrote that the shooter was registered for the course early in the semester before he stopped showing up to class. The last time he saw the suspect, Johnson shared that he told him he understood it was important to prioritize his time in school.
"My emotions are currently high and I am absolutely heartbroken," he wrote. My students are incredibly special to me and I try to make that known throughout the semester."
A survivor hopes his story helps others heal Matt Hoots was in the room when the suspect opened fire. He felt the best way for him to heal was to share his experience, hoping other students feel the same.
Students who survived Tuesday's shooting are left with conflicting emotions of grief for the fallen classmates and relief that they're still alive.
Matt Hoots was there when the gunman began shooting. He hopes sharing his story will push others to do the same to begin their recovery.
"That was the fastest I ever ran in my life out of pure fear," Hoots said. "I got knocked down by a few students even, and I lost a shoe. There was people jumping over me as I tried to get back up and keep running, and I ran until I almost had the feeling of throwing up."
In the race to get out, Hoots left his cell phone inside the classroom. He had to go to a nearby convenience store to use the phone.
"As soon as I had heard my mom's voice, I lost it at that point because I never in a million years, even though what's become of society and what goes on, just never thought I'd be in that situation," he said.
When Hoots finally reunited with his family, he felt survivor's guilt.
"If he would've walked in the other door, I would've been one of the first people that he saw," Hoots said. "It's not fair that other classmates of mine had to have that fate, and I just was able to run out the door."