Crime
8-year-old Fletcher Merkel killed in Annunciation Catholic school shooting
MINNEAPOLIS — Authorities have identified one of the two children killed in Wednesday’s mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, describing the event as one of the darkest days in the city’s history.
The victims were an 8-year-old boy and a 10-year-old child. On Thursday evening, officials confirmed the 8-year-old victim as Fletcher Merkel.
The 10-year-old has not yet been publicly identified.
Outside Annunciation Church, Fletcher’s father, Jesse Merkel, delivered a moving statement on behalf of the family.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us,” he said. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, or watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was becoming. Fletcher loved his family, his friends, fishing, cooking, and every sport he could play.”
Merkel went on to thank the many children and adults who acted heroically during the attack, noting that their quick actions prevented even greater loss of life.
He concluded with a plea for empathy rather than sympathy, asking the community to remember Fletcher for the joyful child he was rather than for the tragedy that ended his life.
Police say the gunman, 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student at Annunciation, opened fire during morning Mass at approximately 8:27 a.m. Wednesday.
Westman, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol—all purchased legally—fired more than 100 rounds into the sanctuary, striking children as young as six. Investigators later recovered 116 rifle casings and three shotgun shells from the scene.
Authorities said Westman blocked some doors with wooden planks in an apparent effort to trap victims inside. Chief Brian O’Hara noted that the church’s policy of locking doors after Mass began likely prevented even greater casualties.
By 8:31 a.m., a Minneapolis police officer arrived and rushed into the church without tactical gear. Parishioners later told officials his arrival was the first moment they believed survival was possible.
The shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside the church.
In total, 18 people were injured, including 15 children between the ages of 6 and 15 and three elderly parishioners in their 80s. Two children, Fletcher and another yet-unidentified 10-year-old, were killed.
Hospitals across Minneapolis continue to care for survivors:
- Children’s Minnesota reported treating seven pediatric patients, three of whom remain hospitalized in serious or critical condition.
- Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) confirmed it has treated nine victims, including five children. One child remains in critical condition.
Among those wounded is 12-year-old Sophia Forchas, a parishioner at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, who underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical condition.
Doctors and first responders have shared accounts of extraordinary bravery, including a child who shielded another from a shotgun blast and a nurse manager who climbed inside a CT scanner to comfort a terrified child.
The FBI is treating the shooting as both an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime. FBI Director Kash Patel said investigators recovered writings, firearms with hateful inscriptions, and a manifesto that included anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic language. Patel described the shooting as a “barbaric attack” motivated by “pure, indiscriminate hate.”
Authorities also confirmed that Westman admired and studied previous mass shooters, seeking notoriety through the attack. Chief O’Hara urged media outlets to stop repeating the suspect’s name, saying, “That was the whole purpose of why he did this act.”
Court records show Westman legally changed their name from Robert to Robin in 2020 with the support of their mother, Mary Grace Westman, a longtime parish employee. Investigators are seeking to speak with her, though she has not yet cooperated.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced an immediate increase in security for schools and houses of worship across the Twin Cities. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for unity, warning against scapegoating vulnerable communities.
“Anybody using this as an opportunity to vilify our trans community—or any community—has lost their sense of humanity,” Frey said. “This needs to be about the kids. Kids died today.”
Chief O’Hara acknowledged the community’s deep grief, calling the massacre “an unthinkable and senseless act of violence against children worshipping at Mass.”
As the investigation continues, federal and local officials pledged to leave “no stone unturned” in uncovering Westman’s motives and preventing future attacks.
Crime
Two Young Girls Found Buried in Separate Suitcases in Cleveland Identified as Amor Wilson and Mila Chatman
Mother Aliyah Henderson has been charged for double murder.
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Authorities have identified the two young girls whose bodies were discovered inside separate suitcases buried in shallow graves on the city’s East Side as Amor Wilson and Mila Chatman, a tragic development in a case that has shocked the community and prompted an ongoing homicide investigation.
According to investigators, the girls were found Monday evening in a field near East 162nd Street and Midland Avenue in the South Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland.
The area is located near Ginn Academy.
Family members shared that a photograph circulating online shows the sisters during a doctor’s appointment in 2019, when they were accompanied by their mother and grandmother.
At the time the photo was taken, Amor was just 3 years old and Mila was 1 year old. Today, Amor would have been 10 years old, and Mila would have been 8 years old.
Mother Aliyah Henderson has been charged for double murder.
The grim discovery was made when a man walking his dog in the area noticed the animal repeatedly alerting to a scent near a fence line.
Investigating further, the man located a partially buried suitcase and contacted authorities.
Officers with the Cleveland Division of Police responded to the scene shortly after 6 p.m. and discovered a shallow grave containing a suitcase with the body of a child inside.
As officers and homicide detectives expanded their search of the surrounding field, they located a second shallow grave nearby containing another suitcase with the body of a second child.
The man who initially discovered the suitcase later told investigators that his dog ran toward the area near a playground where the luggage had been partially buried.
After unzipping the suitcase and seeing a child’s head, he immediately called 911.
During an earlier news conference, Dorothy Todd, chief of the Cleveland Division of Police, described the discovery as a “terrible, horrific situation.”
“This is a traumatic event for our officers and for the community,” Todd said. “This is just such a tragic incident, but we are trying to develop any leads we can. That’s why we are also asking for the community’s help.”
Authorities initially estimated that the victims were between 8 and 14 years old. At the time of the discovery, there were no active missing child reports in Cleveland that matched the girls’ descriptions, adding further complexity to the investigation.
Investigators have also indicated that the remains may have been in the area for some time, though an exact timeline has not yet been determined.
“We know that this didn’t just happen,” Todd said. “We still have to determine exactly when this occurred. At this time, we do not have any indication that there is a clear threat to public safety.”
Officials with the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office have taken custody of the bodies and are continuing forensic examinations to determine the cause and manner of death. Authorities have confirmed that the victims’ bodies had not been dismembered.
The case remains under active investigation as detectives work to reconstruct the events leading up to the girls’ deaths and identify those responsible.
Authorities are urging anyone with information that could assist the investigation to contact the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit. Additional details are expected to be released as the investigation progresses.