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Former IU teammates remember runner, fallen Navy Seal

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana Gov. Mike Pence ordered all American flags at half-staff in honor of US Navy Seal Charles Keating.

Keating, 31, a former Indiana University track and field distance runner, was killed in a gun battle with ISIS Tuesday.

“When he was on the team he always talked about wanting to be a Seal, and that’s what he was going to do,” former teammate and current IU running coach Jake Wiseman said. “He was he was a good runner and an even better person.”

Keating was from Arizona but ran for IU from 2004 to 2006. He was a member of the 2004 team that finished as a Big Ten runner-up. He left school to join the Naval Academy, eventually becoming a Navy Seal.

(May 4, 2016) U.S. Navy file photo of Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Charles Keating IV, 31, of San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

“This fight is far from over and there are great risks. We were reminded of this yesterday when an American service member, identified as Officer First Class Charles Keating, a Navy Seal, was killed while providing advisory assistance for the Peshmerga forces north of Mosul who were directly in the fight.” US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said. “These risks will continue, and we greatly regret this loss.”

Former teammate Wil Fleming called Keating brave.

“He loved being a Navy Seal, loved defending our country, loved his job and so a lot of times you think somebody loses their life, if they do it doing something they love, it’s probably a better way to go, ya know?” Fleming said.

IU released the following statement:

“Indiana University is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of former student-athlete Charles Keating, a U.S. Navy Seal who was killed Tuesday morning on a mission in Iraq. The entire IU community extends its heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the family, friends and loved ones of this heroic fallen Hoosier and brave American.”

Friends said the 9/11 terror attacks convinced Keating to enlist. He is the third us service member killed by ISIS since 2014.

Charlie Keating was engaged and scheduled to be married in November.