Superheroes honor school shooting victim dressed as Batman

TOWNVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Six-year-old Jacob Hall was dressed as Batman for his funeral today, and many of more than 1,000 mourners appeared as superheroes to honor the school shooting victim.

The first-grader's mother, choking back tears, wore a Robin costume.

Jacob's family had asked mourners to celebrate the boy's life by dressing as the superheroes he loved, and so they did. Captain Americas and Wonder Women filed past his small blue casket, along with Supermen and Supergirls, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers.

His teachers came in handmade blue capes with a Ninja Turtle face and Jacob's name.

Jacob loved to pretend he was a superhero, imagining himself as the good guy, the Rev. David Blizzard recalled. He encouraged mourners to honor his wishes by forgiving the 14-year-old boy charged with killing him at Townville Elementary School.

"Preacher, I know what Jacob would say to me," Blizzard said Jacob's mother, Renae Hall, told him. "He'd say, 'Mama, forgive that boy and love him like Jesus loves him because Jesus loves him.' That's exactly what Jacob would probably say."