Two grieving families are turning heartbreak into a call for change after the deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.
Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed when a 23-year-old former student opened fire during a school Mass. Fletcher’s father said: “Yesterday, a coward decided to take our eight-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us… Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.” Harper’s parents called their daughter “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old” and urged leaders to act: “No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain… Change is possible, and it is necessary.”
Eighteen others, including 15 children, were injured but are expected to survive. The suspect, Robin Westman, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Students described diving for cover, while parents recalled terror and relief. One mother said school shootings are “a broken record… even one life lost is too many.”
Vigils and prayers continue as families demand both remembrance and action.
