Family, friends remember Marine vet who was fatally shot

OLNEY (WTXF) - A Marine veteran was shot and killed Wednesday night in the city's Olney neighborhood.

On Thursday, police said they have the suspect in custody. Fox 29's Shawnette Wilson caught up with the Marine's heartbroken neighbors.

"He was special. A special person. Always willing to give and never worried about receiving," said a relative of 47-year old Howard White gathered outside the home on Roselyn Street in Olney where he lived with his aunt. They shed tears and shared memories of their loved one who was gunned down early Thursday morning.

"He always made us feel like we was his children and that's something I can appreciate," said his cousin Michelle Holland.

Howard who went by the nickname "Moo-Doo" was also known to give everyone he knew a special name. It was just his affectionate personality they say.

"Full of charisma, very sociable, outgoing and very humorous," said another cousin named Malinda Gordon.

Family members say they were told Howard was at a bar just around the corner from home with another relative when he noticed a man causing a disturbance with others. He stepped in and the suspect allegedly shot and killed him. Howard had only been home a month and a half. He was a military man now a disabled veteran.

"Twenty plus years in several different terms of National Guard, Marines and the Army and working across seas for U.S. contracts. He was still doing for his country even though he wasn't physically active," said Gordon.

Howard loved serving his country. He had just met another veteran a few days ago. Family members say the man heard what happened and brought over this flag to have draped our Howard's casket.

"It's a shock to me right now that someone would do something like that to him," said his cousin Harold. He says Howard was simply trying to diffuse a situation and that he was just that kind of man.

"He was trying to get somebody to not make the wrong mistake and wind up losing his life. He saved everybody's life at that bar that night. He went out like a hero because that's what he was from day one," said Harold.