The first victim to be publicly named in the devastating school shooting at Annunciation Catholic School is 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel. His father, Jesse Merkel, delivered a raw and gut-wrenching statement on Thursday afternoon, revealing the unimaginable loss his family now faces.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” Jesse said. “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.”
The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire through the stained-glass windows of the church adjoining the school around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, as children gathered inside to celebrate Mass on the first day of the academic year. Police say Westman unloaded 116 rifle rounds in what authorities are calling a deliberate attempt to murder as many children as possible.
The rampage left two children dead—Fletcher and a 10-year-old student whose name has not yet been released. Eighteen others were injured, including 15 children and three elderly parishioners.
Investigators are still trying to determine a clear motive. But chilling details have emerged. In a video posted online, Westman is seen flipping through a journal written in Cyrillic letters—what police are referring to as a “manifesto.” According to an analysis by BBC Verify, the shooter described a plan to “catch a big assembly on the first day of school,” to “attack a large group of kids,” and to avoid parents, who “could be armed.”
Despite the horror, stories have surfaced of students, staff, and churchgoers risking their lives to protect one another. Jesse Merkel acknowledged those efforts in his statement.
“Over the past day, I have heard many stories recounting 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 am thankful.”
He spoke not only for his family’s grief, but for the pain now shared by an entire community.
“While the hole in our lives will never be filled, in hope that in time our family can find healing, I pray that the other victims’ families can find some semblance of the same.
“I am hopeful that the wounded are able to make a full recovery and return home to their families, and finally, all the people, especially the children, impacted by this horrific event are able to recover mentally and find the strength to live loving, happy, and full lives.”
Jesse also pleaded for empathy, not just sympathy, as the community begins to reckon with the scale of the tragedy.
“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’ll always be with us.”
As of Thursday evening, several of the injured remained hospitalized, and trauma teams have been deployed to support students, teachers, and families affected by the shooting.
Fletcher’s name now joins a list no child ever should. His death is not just a personal tragedy—it’s another searing indictment of a society still unable to protect its children where they should feel safest.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
