Catholic news, faith & community — delivered daily. Read The Loop
U.S.

Funeral set for 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, victim of Minneapolis church shooting

Rachel Quackenbush
Rachel Quackenbush
· 2 min read
Funeral set for 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, victim of Minneapolis church shooting

The funeral for Fletcher Merkel, the 8-year-old boy killed in last week’s shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, will be held this Sunday, Sept. 7. 

Services will begin with the visitation at 2 p.m., followed by the funeral at 4 p.m., at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, CBS News reported. The ceremony will be livestreamed, and mourners are invited to wear bright colors to celebrate Fletcher’s life.

>> Parents of children killed in the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting offer first public statements <<

Fletcher is remembered by his family and community for his “sparkling blue eyes and infectious smile,” according to CBS. He loved spending time outdoors with his father, especially fishing, and building elaborate Lego creations with his siblings.

He had been looking forward to attending his first Green Bay Packers game at Lambeau Field this fall — a special milestone for a boy who dreamed of playing in the NFL one day.

>> Annunciation Catholic Church holds first Mass after shooting <<

The shooting at Annunciation claimed the lives of Fletcher and 10-year-old Harper Moyski and injured 21 others, most of them children. Funeral arrangements for Harper have not yet been made public.

Vice President JD Vance, who visited the Minneapolis community with Second Lady Usha Vance earlier this week, shared that he met with Fletcher’s parents and accompanied Fletcher’s father into the chapel where the shooting occurred. It was the father’s first time returning since the tragedy.

Speaking to reporters after the visit, Vance urged the public to focus on the children, not the attacker. 

“We should talk more about these kids. We should talk less about this shooter,” he said. “We should talk about these kids, their hopes and their dreams, and the fact that they had a full life ahead of them that was cut short.”

Remembering Fletcher, Vance said, “He was a very rambunctious and energetic kid, was a beautiful kid, [and] had an incredible head of hair.”

>> Vance defends public prayer after tragic shooting: ‘God listens’ and inspires ‘further action’ <<