Father Dies Protecting Family from 'Free Palestine' Gunman

A celebratory wedding evening turned into a scene of terror and tragedy at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua, New Hampshire, on Saturday when a gunman opened fire, killing one man who, witnesses said, sacrificed his life to protect his family. The victim, 59-year-old Robert DeCesare, was reportedly having dinner with his wife and daughter when the shooter, identified by police as 23-year-old Hunter Nadeau, stormed into the venue.

According to DeCesare's mother, Evie O’Rourke, her son's immediate instinct was to shield his loved ones. "He went right for him and protected his family," O’Rourke said. The attack left DeCesare dead, and two others were shot and wounded. In the ensuing chaos, over 100 guests were sent scrambling for cover, with several sustaining injuries while attempting to flee.

As the gunman fired, witnesses recounted hearing him shout, "Free Palestine!" and "The children are safe!" The motive behind the assault remains unclear. While police have not confirmed a motive or a specific target, a bystander, Tom Bartelson, told a local news outlet that the gunman’s actions appeared deliberate. "It looked like a target, that he was going right for this person," Bartelson stated, while adding that the shooter yelled pro-Palestinian slogans.

The sudden and senseless violence has left DeCesare's family in disbelief. "It’s so unbelievable we think everybody’s lying. This can’t have happened," O’Rourke said. She recalled how the shooter entered and immediately shot the maître d', which was "right in front of him." DeCesare’s daughter is set to be married in six weeks, a fact that makes the loss even more profound for the family. "His thought was to take care of his family," O’Rourke added.

DeCesare was the sole fatality in the attack. Police arrested Nadeau at the scene. Authorities have stated there is no known connection between Nadeau and DeCesare, though some witnesses have suggested the gunman's actions appeared to be a direct assault. "Boy, is he going to be missed. He’s just a great guy," O'Rourke said of her son. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to piece together the full sequence of events and the motive behind the deadly shooting.