8-year-old killed in Minnesota church shooting is identified as father gives heartbreaking statement

One of the two young victims of Wednesday’s deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school has been identified as Fletcher Merkel, age 8.

“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “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.”

“Please remember Fletcher for the person he was, and not the act that ended his life,” his father added. “Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You will always be with us.”

Fletcher’s father said the young student enjoyed family, friends, fishing, cooking, and playing sports.

The shooting took place early Wednesday morning at a church next to Annunciation Catholic School, killing two people and injuring 18, mostly children.

Other children impacted by the tragedy have been identified, including Sophia Forchas, 12, who was injured and later taken to a hospital where her mother was working as a nurse the day of the shooting.

During the incident, in which students and local parishioners were gathered for the first Mass of the school year, the shooter, Robin Westman, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities are still working to determine potential motives for the shooting.

Westman committed an “act of domestic terrorism motivated by a hate-filled ideology,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X on Thursday.

The official said Westman made “anti-Catholic, anti-religious” references in a manifesto and on weapons in her possession, expressed hatred towards Jewish people, and made calls for violence against President Trump.

Neighbors of Westman told The Independent they were stunned by the shooting, and didn’t see any outward signs that the 23-year-old was violent.

“I never saw anything that would have suggested that anything like this would have even been possible,” Jim White, who lived across the street from Westman, said. “It is extremely surreal.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has suggested without evidence that antidepressant medication known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIS) might have played a role in the shooting.

“We’re launching studies on the potential contribution of some of the SSRI drugs and some of the other psychiatric drugs that might be contributing to violence,” Kennedy told Fox News.