The Brave Young Men of Highlands Ranch and Charlotte

Remarkable courage stops the carnage.

Colorado School Shooting: Douglas County Sheriff Responds

Kendrick Castillo was killed during a shooting at the STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado. On May 8, 2019, Douglas County Sheriff’s office announced more information about the shooters. Image: Getty

Amid the heartbreak resulting from recent school shootings comes news of exceptional bravery displayed by students.

USA Today reports:

Kendrick Castillo – only days from graduation – acted fast inside of his British literature class at a suburban Denver school Tuesday afternoon. And he paid with his life.

When a gunman burst through the door at STEM School Highland Ranch, barking at students to stay in place and not move, Castillo, 18, rushed the shooter. It was a quick-thinking move that fellow students said gave them a chance to bolt for safety or take cover under desks.

This is Kendrick Castillo, the student who died in yesterday's shooting. Another student says he lunged at one of the shooters, saving the lives of many others. #9NEWS

Rachel Short of Bacara USA, a manufacturing business where Castillo began an internship last year, said he performed so well the company gave him a part-time job. Short said Castillo loved engineering and was eager to help people.

“To find he went down as a hero, I’m not surprised,’’ said Short, the company’s CEO. “That’s exactly who Kendrick was.”

The Denver Post reports on the hero and the people he left behind:

The father of the 18-year-old killed at STEM School Highlands Ranch on Tuesday confirmed to The Denver Post that his son, Kendrick Castillo, was the sole fatality in the school shooting that left eight others injured.

“He was the best kid in the world,” John Castillo said through tears Wednesday morning...

“I wish he had gone and hid,” Castillo continued, “but that’s not his character. His character is about protecting people, helping people.”

The Post story also reveals an early influence on his character:

...Cece Bedard spent a lot of time with Kendrick throughout their childhood, their fathers dragging them to Knights of Columbus meetings. Kendrick immediately took to the organization’s creed of helping others, Bedard said.

“He told me he wanted to be a Knights of Columbus because he wanted to help not only people, but his community,” Bedard told The Denver Post in a message. “He was the bravest soul I’ve ever met and never even cared what others thought because he was too busy finding ways to make you smile.”

The New York Times reported this week on another kind soul who confronted a shooter:

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — He kept charging. A bullet to the torso did not stop Riley Howell. A second bullet to the body did not prevent him from reaching his goal and hurling himself at the gunman who opened fire last week inside a classroom at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. The third bullet came as Mr. Howell was inches from the gunman, who fired at point-blank range into his head.

Mr. Howell’s parents said their 21-year-old son, who is being heralded for his bravery, was shot at least three times. He tackled the gunman so forcefully that the suspect complained to first responders after his arrest of internal injuries, the parents said the authorities told them.

According to CNN:

Howell grew up taking care of his three younger siblings on his family’s farm in Waynesville. He spent time working out with first responders and dreamed of serving in the military or firefighting.

In a statement, Howell’s family said he always stood up for what he believed and didn’t hesitate to help those in need.

“His faith was strong and he knew what he had to do when people needed him most,” the family said in a statement Wednesday. “He was always the guy you could count on and he delivered.”

Fox News adds that Howell was honored as a member of the U.S. armed forces that he had long dreamed of joining:

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte student and ROTC cadet -- who died a “hero” during a confrontation with the gunman during last week’s shooting at the college -- was laid to rest Sunday with full military honors.

His family’s obituary notes:

Riley died the way he lived, putting others first. Our hope is that his example resonates with everyone. We hope others will, if ever the need arises, answer the call to be selfless and do the right thing without hesitation. We hope his example of loving, living large, being kind always and finding laughter in the little things will be remembered as Riley’s gift to us all.

The gifts that Riley Howell and Kendrick Castillo gave to the students they saved can hardly be measured. In photographs Howell and Castillo appear to be just kids. They were men of great courage.