Minneapolis victim’s dad: ‘Remember Fletcher for the person he was,’ not the violence

The families of two children killed in a Minneapolis shooting earlier this week are speaking out, sharing memories of their kids and mourning the futures lost after a gunman opened fire on a Catholic school during a back-to-school Mass.

“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,” Jesse Merkel, whose 8-year-old son Fletcher was killed, tearfully told reporters Thursday. “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.”

The parents of Harper Moyski, who was also killed during Wednesday’s shooting, described their late 10-year-old daughter as “bright, joyful and deeply loved.”

“No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, wrote in a statement released to reporters. “We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country.”

Authorities identified 23-year-old Robin Westman as the shooter who fired through the church’s stained-glass windows, creating chaos during a prayer ceremony to mark the new school year. Westman died by suicide.

The Trump administration is investigating the incident at Annunciation Church as a “hate crime.”

Officials have not determined a motive, but videos and writings, essentially Westman’s manifesto, have been uncovered detailing deeply disturbed views and a desire to gain notoriety through mass murder.

At least 15 additional children between the ages of 6 and 15 were also injured, along with three adults, officials said. One child remained in critical condition as of Thursday evening.