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Fletcher was described as a child who loved fishing, cooking, and playing any sport he was allowed to try. His father said that while the wound in their hearts will never fully heal, he hopes time will eventually bring some peace.
“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,” he said.
A Sister’s Grief
The second young victim was identified as 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Her parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, issued a heartbreaking statement about the loss of their daughter.
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They remembered Harper as a “bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her.”
They added, “Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”
Chaos and Survival
According to investigators, the shooter—a troubled young man battling mental illness and a gender disorder—opened fire through an open church window while children and staff were gathered inside. Authorities say at least 18 others were injured, 15 of them children.
Among the wounded, 13-year-old Endre Gunter is recovering after undergoing surgery, while 12-year-old Sophia Forchas remains in critical condition, fighting for her life in intensive care.
Despite the horror, parents credited first responders, church staff, and even children for preventing what could have been an even greater massacre.
Merkel told reporters he was thankful for “swift and heroic actions of children and adults alike, from inside the church. Without these people and their selfless actions, this could have been a tragedy of many magnitudes more. For these people, I’m thankful.”
Community Demands Action
Harper’s parents echoed their gratitude toward law enforcement and first responders while also urging the country to confront the growing problem of violence and untreated mental illness.
They said they “also grieve for our fellow Annunciation family in mourning and for those hurt” and added that they are “grateful for the staff and first responders who did so much for so many yesterday.”
But the grieving parents made it clear their daughter’s death must not be in vain.
They wrote that they hope Harper’s memory “fuels action” to rein in America’s mass shooting and mental health crises.
“No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain,” the statement read. “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.”
A Nation on Edge
The FBI has confirmed it is investigating the massacre as a hate-motivated attack against Catholics. As the wounded fight for their lives, Minnesotans—and indeed the rest of America—are left to grapple with a devastating reality: children and families targeted in their place of worship by a shooter whose brokenness was left unchecked.
The families of Fletcher and Harper have spoken, not only in grief but in warning. Their message is clear: America must face its twin crises of violence and mental illness before more innocent lives are lost.
