A North Carolina high school senior was arrested earlier this month for a felony weapons charge and ended up receiving a college scholarship for it.

David Cole Withrow was just weeks away from graduating from Princeton High School with high honors when police were alerted by a school administrator that the student had an unloaded shot gun in his truck.

Withrow had left the weapn there after a skeet shooting trip with friends the day before and said he only realized it still in his car when he went to retrieve his book bag. He then went back into the school to call his mother when the administrator overheard the conversation and called the police.

When Liberty University Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. caught a news segment on television and saw Withrow wearing a Liberty University t-shirt, he decided to reach out. Falwell learned that Withrow was an honors student and wanted to attend Liberty next fall, but did not have the money. So, Falwell extended an offer to Withrow.

"I told him that we would give him whatever scholarships he needed to attend Liberty University," Falwell said.

Falwell, and many members of the community, believe that Withrow recognized his mistake and was trying to do the right thing.

"The anti-gun zealots seem to be vilifying him for making an honest mistake," Falwell said. "We want to reward him for trying to do the right thing."

Withrow later altered his story by saying he knew the guns were in his car when he arrived at school and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor crime.

"I believe it is necessary for me to issue this statement to correct the misinformation that has been reported by the media," Withrow said in a statement. "I understand this inaccurate information resulted in many agencies and individuals suffering significant harm."

Falwell kept his offer on the table and made his own statement.

"I personally believe that Cole was forced to admit to more than he really knew," he said. "In any event, Liberty University is pleased that the charges against Cole Withrow were reduced to a misdemeanor."

Withrow's sister, Hannah Walker, said she and her family were thrilled to hear her brother's scholarship offer was still on the table.

"Just the fact that [Falwell] recognized it meant a lot to my family," she said. "It was very much of a weight lifted off."