Massacre at Minneapolis School: Father's Heartbreaking Plea After 8-Year-Old's Murder

2025-08-29 06:00:12.757

A shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis claimed the lives of two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski. The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, fired through the church windows, targeting children. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson described Westman's words as "horrific and vile," stating the shooter wanted to watch children suffer. Fletcher's father, Jesse Merkel, gave an emotional statement, expressing his family's devastation and loss. Harper's family also shared a heartfelt tribute, describing her as "bright, joyful, and deeply loved." Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that locked church doors likely saved countless lives. Mayor Jacob Frey called for a statewide and federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, asserting that "thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it." The incident deeply affected responding officers, who witnessed horrific scenes and provided aid to injured children. A nurse working in the hospital's ICU was present when her daughter, one of the injured children, arrived for treatment. Despite safety protocols, another nurse stayed with a distressed child during a CT scan, exposing herself to radiation. While initially described as a manifesto, a review of Westman's writings showed a jumbled stream of consciousness rather than a coherent plan.