8-year-old Killed In Annunciation Catholic School Shooting Remembered As A Lover Of Family, Friends And Sports

The 8-year-old killed successful nan tragic Annunciation Catholic School shooting Wednesday was identified by his begetter arsenic Fletcher Merkel.

He was 1 of 2 children killed successful nan wide shooting successful Minneapolis. The different was a 10-year-old whose personality has not been publically released.

“Yesterday a coward decided to return our 8-year-old boy Fletcher distant from us. Because of their actions we will ne'er beryllium allowed to clasp him, talk to him, play pinch him, and watch him turn into nan awesome young man he was connected nan way to becoming,” Jesse Merkel, Fletcher's father, said astatine a news convention extracurricular nan schoolhouse Thursday.

He said his boy loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and sports.

“While nan spread successful our hearts and lives will ne'er beryllium filled, I dream that successful time, our family tin find healing,” Merkel said.

Fletcher was nan 2nd youngest of 4 children successful his family, according to family spokesperson Blois Olson. He and his 2 older siblings were attending yesterday’s Mass, and nan different 2 who were location were not injured successful nan shooting.

Fletcher Merkel.Courtesy Merkel family

Merkel besides shared prayers of treatment for nan different victim's family, that each nan wounded “are capable to make a afloat recovery” and for nan intelligence betterment for each those impacted.

“Over nan past day, I’ve heard galore stories accounting nan swift and heroic actions of children and adults alike, from wrong nan church. Without these group and their selfless actions, this could person been a calamity of galore magnitudes more. For these people, I americium thankful,” Merkel said. “Please retrieve Fletcher for nan personification he was and not nan enactment that ended his life.”

He closed retired his little remarks saying: “Give your kids an other hug and buss today. We emotion you. Fletcher, you’ll ever beryllium pinch us.”

Fifteen different children, ages 6 to 15, were injured successful nan shooting, arsenic good arsenic 3 big parishioners.

Two of nan victims were successful captious information arsenic of Thursday morning, a infirmary charismatic said.

The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot coiled astatine nan scene.

Joseph Thompson, acting U.S. Attorney for nan District of Minnesota, said Thursday that nan fishy “idolized immoderate of nan astir notorious schoolhouse shooters and wide murderers successful our country’s history.”

“More than anything, nan shooter wanted to termination children,” Thompson said. “The shooter was obsessed pinch nan thought of sidesplitting children. Defenseless children.”

Authorities person said that Westman had 3 legally purchased firearms, a shotgun, a firearm and a pistol. More than 100 firearm rounds were recovered astatine nan scene, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

Authorities besides recovered 3 shotgun rounds and 1 unrecorded slug that was trapped successful a handgun aft it appeared to person jammed, O’Hara said.