Two young lives were stolen when a gunman opened fire during a school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, leaving the community shattered. Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and ten-year-old Harper Moyski were remembered by their grieving families as joyful, spirited children whose laughter and love touched everyone around them. Eighteen others were injured, fifteen of them children, but thanks to quick-thinking staff and students, many more lives were saved.
Parents stood outside the church, calling for accountability and change. Fletcher’s father spoke of his son’s love for sports, family, and the outdoors, while Harper’s parents described their daughter’s bright spirit and the heartbreak of her younger sister left behind. “No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” Harper’s parents said.
Authorities identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student who left behind a manifesto filled with despair and rage. Witnesses, including terrified children, recounted hiding under pews as shots shattered stained-glass windows.
President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff and urged prayers for the victims. But for Minneapolis, the loss is raw, and families insist that prayer alone is not enough—they want action to ensure no more children’s lives are cut short by gun violence.
