A former Oklahoma judge has been arrested after allegedly firing a gun at trick-or-treaters and pointing the weapon at a responding police officer while intoxicated on Halloween night.
Jerry Herberger, 73, a former Stephens County Judge, was taken into custody around 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, according to a report by KSWO.
Authorities stated that Herberger fired a weapon toward a group of trick-or-treaters who had approached his home on Linwood Lane after seeing his lights were on. One of the trick-or-treaters, Amy Sanders, told KFOR that Herberger began yelling at them and stated he had a gun.
"He was drunk, so when he aimed it and went to go shoot it, his hand went kind of willy-nilly and it just, it shot," Sanders recounted, adding that the shot was fired erratically, narrowly missing the group. "That’s the only thing that saved that from coming into our exact crowd."
Sanders' son called 911. When police arrived, Herberger allegedly pointed the firearm at one of the officers before being taken into custody without incident, according to police.
Herberger faces charges including assault and battery with a deadly weapon, attempted murder, and possession of a firearm while intoxicated.
"We are grateful that no one was reported injured and that everyone involved is safe," the Duncan Police Department said in a statement.
Sanders expressed hope that Herberger would face serious legal consequences. "He was on the other side of that bench. He was hard on those people. Well, now it’s time for somebody to be hard on him," she told KFOR. Following the incident, Sanders indicated that her family's Halloween traditions would change, opting to hand out candy instead of trick-or-treating in the future to avoid similar dangers.
