Fletcher Merkel, 8 and Harper Moyski, 10 years old Minneapolis children identified as fatal victims at hands of Annunciation Catholic Church school shooter, Robert Westman as parents release statements amid anguish of tragedy leaving them heart broken and calls for gun control.
Minneapolis authorities have identified the two children killed in a mass shooting at Annunciation Church on Wednesday as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski.
‘We love you, Fletcher, and you will always be with us,’ said Fletcher’s grief stricken father, Jesse, on Thursday.
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Jesse spoke about the other victims, wishing them a full recovery, while also sharing his appreciation for the ‘swift and heroic’ actions of the other children and adults inside the church.
‘Without these people and their selfless actions, this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more,’ Jesse said. ‘For these people, I am thankful.’
According to Children’s Minnesota, seven kids between the ages of 9 and 16 were admitted, and six have been discharged. In an update on Thursday, HCMC said six of the 10 total patients are in ‘satisfactory’ condition, including five children. One adult and one child are in serious condition, and one child is in critical condition.
‘We are devastated to share that our beloved daughter, Harper Moyski, was tragically killed in the recent school shooting. Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her,’ said Harper’s parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said in a released statement.
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‘Our hearts are broken, not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss,’ they continued, noting that they are ‘shattered and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.’
The grieving parents then called for action on gun control, saying they ‘believe it is important that [Harper’s] memory fuels action.
‘We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country,’ they said.
‘Change is possible and it is necessary – so that Harper’s story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies.’
The Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, is a private elementary school with about 395 students, from kindergarten to eighth grade. The Catholic school’s approach to teaching is one of faith-based learning according to its website.
Wednesday’s school shooting marked the 44th school shooting in the US this year, according to a CNN analysis. For the year 2024, there were 43 school mass shootings.
