A heartbreaking superhero funeral for 6-year-old shooting victim

It was a heartbreaking scene in Townsville, South Carolina on Wednesday as 6-year-old Jacob Hall, dressed in a Batman costume was laid to rest, honored with a superhero-themed funeral.

Jacob was shot while he was at school last Wednesday, but died in hospital three days later. A 14-year-old boy allegedly killed his father and then drove to the school, where he opened fire on a playground and shot Jacob in the leg.

Close to 1,000 mourners showed up on Wednesday, many of them fighting back tears while wearing superhero costumes to pay tribute to Jacob, honoring a request made by Jacob's family. Jacob's mother, Renae, donned a Robin costume, a final, emotional gesture of unity with her son.

John Buckland, of the Heroes4Higher organization, dressed as Batman and delivered a stirring eulogy, telling those in attendance, "Out of this community, the world is seeing how to do it right. And the only reason you're able to do it right is because you've learned from the best. And that's a six-year-old boy."

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Jacob's story has spread from his community to other parts of the nation, showing the impact his tragic death has made.

Nicole Hockley, a mother of one of the children killed during the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting, wrote a two-page open letter about Jacob's death. "Seeing his mother's face as she held her beautiful baby boy for the last time ... there are no words for the anguish I felt then and still feel today," she wrote.

Police in nearby Easley, South Carolina also honored Jacob on Tuesday by wearing superhero t-shirts under their uniforms.

CARD ID: 98394

Additional reporting by the Associated Press