明尼阿波利斯-星期天为一个8岁的男孩举行了葬礼，他有着富有感染力的微笑和冒险精神，他是在明尼阿波利斯天主教堂做弥撒时被枪击身亡的两名学童之一。
数百名哀悼者聚集在一起为弗莱彻·默克尔举行葬礼，在他家人的要求下，他们穿着鲜艳的颜色，而不是暗黑色。他精力充沛，慷慨大方，分发鲜花和名片，只是因为，他的姑姑，明尼苏达州的明星论坛报艾琳·舍马克说据报告的.
“他给我们的礼物是了解他和爱他的机会，”她说。
8月27日的枪击事件造成至少21人受伤，其中大多数是天主教圣母领报学校的学生。官员们已经确认枪手是罗宾·韦斯特曼，23岁，他以前是一名学生，持有来复枪、手枪和猎枪解雇更多就在早上8:30之前，教堂的窗户被打穿了100发子弹，韦斯特曼被发现死于似乎是自己造成的枪击。
9月14日，在明尼阿波利斯将为在枪击案中遇难的10岁女孩哈珀·莫伊斯基举行追悼会。一;一个死亡的描述这个女孩为“纯粹的魔法”，一个梦想有一天成为兽医的爱狗人士。
周日，在Mount Olivet Lutheran教堂的发言人强忍泪水，微笑着向弗莱彻短暂的一生致敬。他们举行了以他的肖像为主题的葬礼，并写道:“永远爱你，上帝的孩子。”
哀悼者谈到了他对钓鱼的热爱，这是他和父亲杰西经常做的事情，以及他如何在所到之处结交朋友。
据弗莱彻说，他是一个“总是在运动”的孩子，喜欢做运动和尝试新的食物，比如腌鲱鱼死亡的.
他最近在当地一家电台短暂直播，当时他的母亲莫莉打电话来，让弗莱彻和其他孩子在比赛中展示他们对烟花的最佳印象。
除了父母，他还留下了两个兄弟和一个妹妹以及他的狗克莱曼婷。
哀悼者包括明尼阿波利斯警察局长布莱恩·奥哈拉，圣保罗市长梅尔文·卡特和州长蒂姆·瓦尔兹及其妻子格温。
Hundreds mourn 8-year-old, who was killed in a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church
MINNEAPOLIS --A funeral was held Sunday for an 8-year-old boy with an infectious smile and adventurous spirit who was one of two schoolchildren killed when a mass shooter opened fire on a Minneapolis Catholic church during Mass.
Hundreds of mourners gathered for the service of Fletcher Merkel, wearing bright colors instead of somber black at the request of his family. He had boundless energy and exuded generosity, handing out flowers and trading cards just because, said his aunt, Erin Shermak, the Minnesota Star Tribunereported.
“His gift to us was the chance to know him and love him,” she said.
The Aug. 27 shooting injured at least 21 others, most of them students at Annunciation Catholic School. Officials have identified the shooter as Robin Westman, 23, a former student armed with a rifle, pistol and shotgun who allegedlyfired morethan a hundred rounds through the windows of the church just before 8:30 a.m. Westman was found dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot.
A service for Harper Moyski, the 10-year-old girl who was also killed in the shooting, will be held Sept. 14 in Minneapolis. Anobituarydescribed the girl as “pure magic,” a dog lover who dreamed of becoming a veterinarian one day.
Speakers at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church on Sunday choked back tears to smile and laugh in honor of Fletcher’s brief life. They held funeral programs featuring his portrait, with the words: “Forever loved, child of God.”
Mourners talked about his love of fishing, something he often did with his dad Jesse, and how he made friends wherever he went.
Fletcher was “always in motion,” a child who loved playing sports and trying out new foods, like pickled herring, according to hisobituary.
He was recently and briefly on-air at a local radio station when his mother Mollie called in so Fletcher and other children could give their best impression of fireworks for a contest.
Besides his parents, he leaves behind two brothers and a sister and his dog, Clementine.
Mourners included Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Gov. Tim Walz and his wife Gwen.
