‘A coward decided to take our son away’: Heartbroken father of boy killed in Minneapolis church shooting speaks out

Armed with a rifle, shotgun and pol, a shooter opened fire at a Catholic church in Minneapolis, killing two kids, aged eight and 10, and leaving 17 injured. The father of one of the students killed in the Annunciation Catholic School mass shooting has spoken out and tore into the ‘coward’ gunman who claimed his son’s life. Jesse Merkel’s son, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, was killed when a shooter opened fire through church windows during Mass. (Screengrab) “Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” Jesse Merkel, father of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, said to reporters, cited a report ABC News. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, or play with him and watch him grow into a wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.” “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,” the grieving father added. In his speech, Merkel said he had heard stories of children and adults who helped others during the horror attack. He added, “Without these people and their selfless actions, this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more. For these people, I’m thankful.” Who else was killed in the Minneapolis school attack?The parents of Harper Moyski, 10, remembered her as a “bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her,” reported ABC. In a statement to the outlet, her parents said, “Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s ser, who adored her big ser and is grieving an unimaginable loss,” adding, “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.” They continued, “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.”