“Please Remember Them for Their Lives”: Parents of Children Killed in Minneapolis Church Shooting Share Heartbreaking Pleas

In Minneapolis, grief and resilience collided this week after a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School’s morning Mass claimed the lives of two children and injured dozens more.

Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski were remembered Thursday not for the violence that cut their lives short, but for the joy, love, and light they brought to those around them.

A Family’s Unimaginable Loss

Harper’s parents called her “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old,” adored by her little sister. In a statement, they urged leaders to finally take meaningful action on gun violence and the mental health crisis. “No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” they wrote.

Standing outside the church, Fletcher’s father, Jesse Merkel, tearfully described his son as a boy who loved fishing, cooking, and sports. “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life,” he said.

Acts of Courage Amid Chaos

Even as families mourned, stories of bravery surfaced. Doctors recounted a nurse who broke protocol to hold a young victim’s hand during a CT scan so she wouldn’t face the frightening moment alone.

Emergency officials praised children and teachers who relied on active shooter training — kids shielding one another on the floor, teachers guiding them to safety. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the first officer rushed into the church “without hesitation,” giving children their first sense of safety.

“There are countless lessons of bravery,” O’Hara said. “From young children all the way up to elders.”

Though the community is shattered, parents and leaders alike hope the memories of Fletcher and Harper will not only be cherished but also inspire change.