- The two students killed in Wednesday's shooting have been identified as Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski.
- Eighteen others were injured in the shooting, 15 of which are children ages 6 to 15.
- GoFundMe pages have been organized for multiple students who were seriously injured.
Following the deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, the two deceased victims have been identified by their families as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski.
On Thursday, the two families gave statements about the children who were killed.
Wednesday’s shooting occurred at the private elementary school at around 8:30 a.m. local time. The shooter approached the outside of the church and fired through the window toward children sitting in pews, as previously reported by the Deseret News.
There were 18 other people injured in the shooting, including 15 students between the ages of 6 and 15. Three adults, all in their 80s, were also shot. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says all of the injured children are expected to survive, but at least seven were in critical condition when they arrived at the hospital on Wednesday, per CBS News.
Thomas Klemond, Hennepin Healthcare CEO, described one of the children who remained in critical condition as “touch and go” on Thursday morning.
The names of victims shot in the attack have not been publicly released by authorities, but families and friends have began to identify their loved ones, per USA Today.
“We as a community have a responsibility to make sure that no child, no parent, no teacher ever has to experience what we’ve experienced today ever again,” Annunciation School Principal Matt DeBoer said during a news conference on Aug. 27, per USA Today. “We lost two angels today. Please continue to pray for those still receiving care. Never again can we let this happen.”
Here’s a look at what the families have said about the children who were lost in this week’s attack.
Fletcher Merkel
A spokesperson for the Merkel family shared that Fletcher was the second youngest of four children, per NBC News. He was attending Mass on Wednesday with two of his siblings, who were not injured in the shooting.
On Thursday, Fletcher’s father Jesse gave a public statement about the loss of his son while standing outside of the school.
Throughout the statement, Jesse honored his son and spoke about different things he had loved. The full statement reads, according to CBS News:
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us. Because of their actions, 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.
“Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play. While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time, our family can find healing. I pray that the other victim’s family can find some semblance of the same.
“I’m hopeful that all the wounded are able to make a full recovery and return home to their families, and finally, all the people — and especially the children impacted by this horrific event — are able to recover mentally and find strength to live loving, happy and full lives.
“Over the past day, I’ve heard many stories accounting the swift and heroic actions of children and adults alike from inside the church. Without these people and their selfless actions, this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more for these people. I’m thankful.
“Moving forward, we ask not for your sympathy, but your empathy as our family and the Annunciation community grieve and try to make sense of such a senseless act of violence. Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life. Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you. Fletcher, you’ll always be with us.”
Harper Moyski
A joint statement from Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin was released on the family’s behalf on Thursday. In the statement, the family honored Harper and asked the public to respect their privacy.
Here is the full statement, per CBS News.
“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.
“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. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.
“We also grieve for our fellow Annunciation family in mourning and for those hurt yesterday. We are grateful for the staff and first responders who did so much for so many yesterday.
“While our immediate focus is on Harper and our family’s healing, we also believe it is important that her memory fuels action. No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain. We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country. Change is possible, and it is necessary — so that Harper’s story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support. Harper’s light will always shine through us, and we hope her memory inspires others to work toward a safer, more compassionate world.
“At this time, we kindly ask the media and community to respect our privacy as we mourn and honor Harper’s life together. We need space to grieve, to support Harper’s sister, and to hold tightly to one another.”
Students injured in the Annunciation school shooting
Here is a look at what we know about some of the students who were injured in Wednesday’s shooting.
Sophia Forchas
According to USA Today, 12-year-old Sophia Forchas was injured in the shooting and remained in critical condition after undergoing emergency surgery.
A GoFundMe organized for the family described her as a “bright, kind, and full of life young girl who is now fighting for her life.”
“Her road ahead will be long, uncertain, and incredibly difficult — but she is strong, and she is not alone,” the GoFundMe page added.
Sophia’s younger brother was also at the school during the shooting, but was unharmed, per USA Today.
Endre Gunter
Another victim, Endre Gunter, was shot twice while attending Mass at the Catholic school, his aunt Natalie Davis shared, according to USA Today. Davis organized a GoFundMe page to help with the 13-year-old’s medical bills.
“It’s impossible to make sense of this act of violence against children, in a place that should have been a sanctuary of peace and safety,” Davis wrote on the page. “In the face of unimaginable fear and pain, Endre showed strength and faith beyond his years.”
Davis said that Endre asked the doctor to pray with him before he was taken to surgery, per USA Today.
David Haeg
Another GoFundMe was organized on behalf of the family of young Annunciation Catholic School student David Haeg, who was “tragically injured” in the shooting, per USA Today.
“Our school community is heartbroken as we rally around one of our own, David Haeg,” the page states. “His road to recovery will be long, but he is showing incredible strength and resilience.”
The fundraiser is meant to help cover the costs of his medical expenses “so his parents can focus fully on being by his side and helping him heal.”