As the first anniversary of last year’s campus shooting approaches, UNC Charlotte has planned a virtual remembrance to honor Reed Parlier and Riley Howell, who lost their lives, the four students injured and all those affected.
“United: A Remembrance Program” will stream live April 30, 2020. The 30-minute program will begin at 5:10 p.m. and conclude at approximately 5:40 p.m., the time of last spring’s tragedy. Watch it via the University’s live stream website, Facebook, Niner Nation Remembers website or Inside UNC Charlotte.
This virtual program will feature comments from Chancellor Philip L. Dubois, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kevin Bailey and Student Government Association president and vice president, Chandler Crean and Adela Mann.
UNC Charlotte alumnus and CBS correspondent Don Dahler ’91, who had planned to host the original community concert scheduled for the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, will introduce special elements of the virtual remembrance, including performances of the favorite songs of Parlier and Howell by the band Water from Fire and an original video featuring graphics by Jeffrey Murphy, an associate professor in the College of Arts + Architecture, with an original arrangement by John Allemeier, professor of composition.
In addition to watching “United: A Remembrance Program,” members of Niner Nation are encouraged to wear green Thursday, April 30, in a demonstration of 49er solidarity and to share their personal reflections using #CharlotteStrong.
UNC Charlotte, as is the rest of Mecklenburg County, state of North Carolina, the nation and the world, continues to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s virtual remembrance is being held not only to protect the health of Niner Nation but is in accordance with Gov. Roy Cooper’s “stay-at-home’” directives to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.