Jordan Anchondo, 25, and her husband, Andre Anchondo, 24, gave their lives during Saturday’s mass shooting in El Paso to protect their two-month-old son, Paul. The mom-of-three was shopping with her family at Walmart in El Paso, TX when a gunman began shooting people at random.
Jordan’s Aunt, Elizabeth Terry, shared the couple’s heroic act with CNN, saying that they were shopping for school supplies for their 5-year-old daughter when the mass shooting began.
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As soon as they heard guns firing, Jordan shielded their son while her husband shielded Jordan. “Andre shielded her and she shielded the baby, and that’s how he was able to survive,” Jordan’s father told Today.
Both Jordan and Andre were killed in the attack. The family set-up a GoFundMe page to raise money for their three children who have been left orphans. In addition to Paul, the couple were parents to two daughters, Skylin and Victoria.
“Not only did Jordan & Andre love each other endlessly, but the children were so loved by them as well,” the family wrote. To date, more than $70,000 has been raised.
There were a reported 3,000 people inside the Walmart during the shooting. After police received calls about an active shooter, they responded within six minutes. Following the attack, the shooter surrendered to the El Paso police. 22 people were killed, and more than two dozen others were injured.
On Sunday, the El Paso County District Attorney held a press conference, noting the suspect is being charged with murder and that prosecutors will seek the death penalty, according to CNN. US Attorney John Bash also reported federal hate and firearms charges will be added.
“We are treating it as a domestic terrorism case, and we’re gonna do what we do to terrorists in this country, which is deliver swift and certain justice,” Bash said.