'We are shattered': Parents of Minneapolis church shooting victims speak out, urge gun reform
Minneapolis: The parents of Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, the two schoolchildren who were killed in a tragic shooting at a Minneapolis church, spoke for the first time on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, during a Mass attended by hundreds of students from Annunciation Catholic School, when a shooter opened fire. City officials have reported that 15 children aged 6 to 15 were injured, along with three parishioners in their 80s. A single child remains in critical condition.
In a statement, Harper’s parents remembered her as “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old" who was “adored” by her younger sister. “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain,” the statement read. While they focus on healing, they express hope that Harper’s memory inspires action to prevent future shootings. “No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” Harper’s parents wrote. “We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country.”
Jesse Merkel, Fletcher’s father, spoke outside the church where his son was killed. He described Fletcher as a boy who loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and playing any sport. “We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.” He urged people, “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.” While mourning, Merkel thanked adults and students whose “swift and heroic actions” prevented a greater tragedy. These actions, he said, could have meant “this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more.”
Heroism was also evident in the response to the shooter. Marty Scheerer, chief of Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services, highlighted “unrecognised heroes,” particularly the children and teachers who followed safety training during the chaos and gunfire. Some children protected others by lying on the floor and covering their friends, while teachers quickly guided students to safety. “That was key,” Scheerer said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara praised the first officer who entered the church “without hesitation” just minutes after the 911 call. Parishioners told him that “it was the first time that the children and others there had any sense that they might be safe and survive.” He described seeing children “that had blood on them from not because they were injured, but because of blood pressure from other kids,” and reflected, “There's going to be countless lessons of bravery, from young children all the way up to elders.”
With inputs from PTI