{"id":44871,"date":"2025-08-28T21:33:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T21:33:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/father-of-8-year-old-fletcher-merkel-killed-in-annunciation-shooting-give-your-kids-an-extra-hug\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T21:33:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T21:33:53","slug":"father-of-8-year-old-fletcher-merkel-killed-in-annunciation-shooting-give-your-kids-an-extra-hug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/father-of-8-year-old-fletcher-merkel-killed-in-annunciation-shooting-give-your-kids-an-extra-hug\/","title":{"rendered":"Father of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, killed in Annunciation shooting: &#8220;Give your kids an extra hug&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>The family of one of the victims\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/south-minneapolis-incident-august-27-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">shot early Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church in southwest Minneapolis<\/a><\/span>\u00a0spoke out for the first time Thursday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The father of one of the two children killed in the massacre identified the victim as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"embed embed--type-image is-image embed--float-none embed--size-original\">\n<p>      <span class=\"img embed__content\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/2025\/08\/28\/c6c254f9-8b0f-4a82-861e-73d31b29ae1b\/img-1350.jpg#\" alt=\"img-1350.jpg \" width=\"3024\" height=\"1701\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com\/hub\/i\/2025\/08\/28\/c6c254f9-8b0f-4a82-861e-73d31b29ae1b\/img-1350.jpg 1x\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/span><figcaption class=\"embed__caption-container\">\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__caption\">Fletcher Merkel<\/span><\/p>\n<p>                  <span class=\"embed__credit\"><\/p>\n<p>                Merkel Family<\/p>\n<p>                          <\/span><br \/>\n              <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Here is the full transcript of the family&#8217;s statement:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us. 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.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play. 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&#8217;s family can find some semblance of the same.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m hopeful that all the wounded are able to make a full recovery and return home to their families, and finally, all the people \u2014 and especially the children impacted by this horrific event \u2014 are able to recover mentally and find strength to live loving, happy and full lives.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Over the past day, I&#8217;ve heard many stories accounting the 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&#8217;m thankful.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Moving forward, we ask not for your sympathy, but your empathy as our family and the Annunciation community grieve and try to make sense of such a senseless act of violence. Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life. Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you. Fletcher, you&#8217;ll always be with us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Another child, 10, was also killed during the shooting. Another 18 people were hurt, including 15 fellow Annunciation\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/minneapolis-mass-shooting-catholic-school-survivor-friend\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">students between the ages of 6 and 15<\/a><\/span>. Three adults, all in their 80s, were also shot. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O&#8217;Hara says all\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/minneapolis-school-shooting-annunciation-catholic-witness-comforts-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">of the children are expected to survive<\/a><\/span>; however, at least seven victims were in critical condition when they\u00a0<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/minneapolis-hospitals-response-mass-shooting\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">arrived at a hospital<\/a><\/span>\u00a0on Wednesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Hennepin Healthcare CEO Thomas Klemond described <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/minneapolis-annunciation-church-shooting-victims-update-aug-28-2025\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">a child who remained in critical condition as &#8220;touch and go&#8221; <\/a><\/span>on Thursday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Wednesday&#8217;s shooting prompted responses from <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/shooting-annunciation-church-minneapolis\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">lawmakers<\/a><\/span>, <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/sandy-hook-promise-minneapolis-church-school-shooting\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">advocacy groups<\/a><\/span> and <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/pope-leo-minneapolis-school-shooting-annunciation-message\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">religious leaders<\/a><\/span> across the state, country and world.<span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/trump-order-flag-half-staff-minneapolis-shooting-victims\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\"> President Trump and Gov. Tim Walz have ordered all U.S. and Minnesota state flags to fly at half-mast<\/a><\/span> for at least through the end of the month to honor the shooting victims.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/prayer-services-vigil-minneapolis-school-shooting-annunciation\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">Vigils were held across the Twin Cities metro<\/a><\/span> for the victims, and <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/annunciation-shooting-victims-honored-twins-blue-jays-game\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">a moment of silence was held ahead of the game<\/a><\/span> between the Minnesota Twins and the Toronto Blue Jays in Canada on Wednesday night. <span class=\"link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/minnesota\/news\/how-to-help-annunciation-catholic-school-church-shooting-victims\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-invalid-url-rewritten-http=\"\">Efforts and events are underway to help those affected<\/a><\/span> by the shooting.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>    <!-- data-recirc-source=\"queryly\" --><\/p>\n<aside class=\"component list recirculation component--type-recirculation \">\n<p><h3 class=\"component__title\">More from CBS News<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>    <!-- tags --><\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/names-of-children-killed-in-annunciation-shooting-released\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The family of one of the victims\u00a0shot early Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church in southwest Minneapolis\u00a0spoke out for the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44872,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[8069,1228,2467],"class_list":["post-44871","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories","tag-annunciation-school-shooting","tag-crime","tag-minneapolis"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Father of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, killed in Annunciation shooting: &quot;Give your kids an extra hug&quot; - World News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The family of one of the victims shot early Wednesday morning at 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