- Jesse Merkel, father of Fletcher Merkel, delivered a tearful tribute outside Annunciation Catholic Church.
- Fletcher, 8, was killed in a mass shooting during a school Mass on August 27.
- Merkel described his son as joyful, curious, and full of life.
- Fletcher loved fishing, cooking, sports, and spending time with family.
- His funeral drew over 1,400 mourners, many wearing bright colors to honor his spirit.
- The shooting left 21 others injured and has reignited calls for safety reforms.
- Merkel asked the public to remember Fletcher’s life, not the tragedy that ended it.
Jesse Merkel, father of eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel, delivered a heartbreaking statement outside Annunciation Catholic Church just days after his son was killed in a mass shooting that has shaken the Minneapolis community.
Fighting back tears, Merkel described Fletcher as a vibrant, loving child who found joy in fishing, cooking, and sports. “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,” he said.
Fletcher was one of two children killed when a gunman opened fire during a school Mass on August 27. The attack left 21 others injured, most of them children. The tragedy has sparked national outrage and renewed calls for stronger protections in schools and places of worship.
At Fletcher’s funeral, held at Mt. Olivet Lutheran Church, more than 1,400 mourners gathered to celebrate his life. Family and friends wore bright colors in his honor, a reflection of the boy’s joyful spirit. Speakers remembered Fletcher’s curiosity, generosity, and boundless energy — from building Lego cities to reeling in fish with his dad.
His father’s statement outside the church was not just a moment of grief, but a call to remember Fletcher for the love he gave and the life he lived. “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life,” Merkel urged.
