Family response after Minneapolis shooting exposed.
A small Minneapolis neighborhood is reeling after an ordinary morning service at a Catholic school turned into one of the city’s darkest days.
Church attack profiled.
Gunfire erupted inside Annunciation Catholic Church and School during a back-to-school Mass, leaving families scrambling for safety.
Authorities confirmed that two children were killed in the massacre, and 18 others — mostly students — were injured.
Police say 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire through stained glass windows before turning the gun on himself.
Survivors described diving beneath pews, sprinting to the basement, or hiding under classmates as over 100 rounds of ammunition rattled the church.
At least nine of the injured remain hospitalized, including one child in critical condition, according to Hennepin County Medical Center.
Chilling details unveiled.
Investigators discovered Westman’s journals and YouTube videos filled with violent rants and hateful manifestos.
“I am feeling good about Annunciation,” one page read. “It seems like a good combo of easy attack form and devastating tragedy.”
Ammunition magazines were found with phrases like “kill Donald Trump” and “for the children” scrawled across them.
Westman’s mother once worked at Annunciation before retiring in 2021, though she has not responded to investigators.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the writings “hate laid bare,” revealing the shooter’s desire to inflict pain on anyone he could.
The journal described possible methods, from ambushing recess to striking during a church event — chillingly close to what eventually happened.
Community response highlighted.
Survivors like 12-year-old Sophia Forchas and 13-year-old Endre Gunter are recovering, their families clinging to hope.
Endre reportedly asked a doctor to “pray with me” before being taken into surgery.
Vigils have been held across Minneapolis and St. Paul, with flags lowered to half-staff in honor of the victims.
A moment of silence was observed before the Minnesota Twins baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Parents, students, and neighbors are still struggling to process how their community church became a crime scene.
First child named.
Authorities identified 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel as one of the two young victims.
“The actions of a coward took my son,” Fletcher’s father, Jessie Merkel, told reporters through tears.
Fletcher loved fishing, cooking, and any sport he could play. His family said his smile and laughter “lit up every room.”
“While the hole in our hearts will never be filled, I hope one day we can find healing,” Jessie said.
The father praised children and adults who acted quickly inside the church. “Without them, this tragedy could have been far worse.”
Fletcher’s loved ones now plan to establish a scholarship fund in his name to honor his life and legacy.
Victim two identified.
The other victim was 10-year-old Harper Moyski, remembered as “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved girl.”
Her parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, said her younger sister “adored her big sister” and is left with an “unimaginable loss.”
“As a family, we are shattered,” they said. “Words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”
Harper’s parents added: “Her memory must fuel action. Change is necessary so her story does not become another tragedy.”
“Harper’s light will always shine through us,” they continued, asking for privacy as they grieve.
A city forever changed.
The massacre left Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, dead — children whose futures were stolen in seconds.
Alongside their deaths, 18 others — most of them children — were wounded by Westman’s attack.
Police are still working to determine the motive, though early findings point to deep anti-religious and extremist beliefs.
Minneapolis now mourns two stolen lives while demanding answers to how such horror could erupt inside a house of worship.