Catholic University of America student Daniel Anderl had just turned 20 and was about to start his junior year when he was shot and killed in his home on Sunday. Members of the D.C. university's community mourned his loss.
According to the initial investigation, Anderl was at home with his parents in New Brunswick, New Jersey, when a man came to the door and shot and wounded his father, attorney Mark Anderl. Anderl ran to the door and was shot and killed. His mother, federal judge Esther Salas, was not hurt. Sources tell NBC New York that authorities believe an anti-feminist men’s rights attorney committed the crime. That man, Roy Den Hollander, was later found dead.
Anderl had a contagious smile, loved to sing and dance, and was always a bright light, his friends told News4. He was on the dean’s list and dreamed of being a lawyer.
He was our Dan who made stupid jokes at lunch and always shared his fries. He was the Dan who ran singing around the halls of Catholic University and we could spot his voice on the basketball court a mile away
Daniel Anderl's friends said in a statement
“Please join me and our entire campus community as we extend our deepest condolences to Daniel’s family and friends. May he rest in peace, Catholic University President John Garvey said in a message.
Grief counselors were available through multiple campus offices. A Mass for Anderl was set to be held on Zoom Monday night.
A group of Anderl’s friends gave News4 the following statement about who he was:
"To us he was not Daniel, the son of a federal judge, he was our Dan. He was our Dan who loved to brag about his mom’s cooking skills and post pictures of her great dinners all throughout quarantine. He was our Dan who loved to dance and sing with us and always double check that everyone got home safe after a night out. He was our Dan who begged to take naps on the floor of our dorm room just because he thought the rug was really fluffy. He was our Dan who would ride the metro late at night with us just to make sure his friends were safe and ready to protect us without hesitation. He was our Dan who had a contagious smile and would sit outside and talk about anything with us. He was our Dan who told us all to stop studying for a night and enjoy life and be a college student. He was our Dan who gave us huge bear hugs who went out of his way to always say hello. He was our Dan who would buy last minute Mets tickets and go grab food so I wouldn’t miss a minute of the game. He was our Dan who made stupid jokes at lunch and always shared his fries. He was the Dan who ran singing around the halls of Catholic University and we could spot his voice on the basketball court a mile away. He was our Dan who would brag about being weeks ahead on his schoolwork and still sit while we study and encourage us to keep going. He was the Dan who memorized 75 ways to be a good teammate and recited it for everyone on his team. He is the Dan who loved naps and would try to get us to help with his laundry and always make us laugh. He is our Dan who we remember as one of the most loving and supportive people on campus, the person we can always call, and the person who is always a positive light. We will remember Dan everyday and miss him every time we share a laugh and remember these times together. These are only a few of many memories from only a few many of his friends and people he impacted at Catholic U. We love Dan, we love his family, and we all will be praying and supporting his loved ones as they attempt to deal with this inconceivable loss."
