Federal Judge Esther Salas released a video statement about the shooting that killed her son Daniel Anderl and wounded her husband last month. The nine-minute statement is the first time Judge Salas has addressed the public over the unfortunate incident that occurred two weeks ago.
What We Know:
- Salas confirmed that the gunman’s motive was in fact because of her position as a federal judge. “Two weeks ago, my life as I knew it changed in an instant, and my family will never be the same,” Salas stated.
- After that brutally straightforward opening, she explained how her family had just finished a weekend celebration in honor of her son’s 20th birthday. Her son’s only other request to his parents after that was to host a party with some of his friends from the Catholic University of America.
- Salas went into vivid detail recalling the events of that day, a sweet moment turned incredibly bitter. Daniel and his mother were spending some quality time when out of the blue, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Before Salas could react to the doorbell, she said that Daniel ran straight upstairs to enthusiastically answer the door. Unfortunately, what awaited him was the end.
“Within seconds, I heard the sound of bullets and someone screaming, ‘No!’” Salas continued.
- It was also revealed that Daniel’s final heroic act before death was protecting his father. He took the first bullet to the chest, but the shooter then turned immediately to Salas’ husband who ultimately got shot in the chest, abdomen, and right forearm as well.
- At one point in the video, the judge communicated the fact that many federal judges’ personal information is easily accessible on the internet and companies are continually selling that same information which can be “leveraged for nefarious purposes”.
- Salas concluded the video by thanking everybody who has supported her and her family in the weeks after the tragedy, starting with thanking all the first responders, doctors, nurses, and law enforcement agencies. She also acknowledged everyone that reached out, sent prayers, and who kept her family in their thoughts.
Roy Den Hollander, the gunmen responsible, committed suicide. His body was found in Sullivan County, New York, exactly two hours north of the judge’s home. Authorities later uncovered the names of several other people who were suspected of being the killer’s targets, one of which was another judge.
