Parents of kid hurt in Annunciation shooting ask VP JD Vance to address gun violence
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Vice President JD Vance visited Minneapolis on Wednesday, one week after the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church that killed two children and injured 21 other people, 18 of whom are children.
Security was heavy outside Annunciation Catholic Church ahead of the visit by Vance, who is Catholic, and second lady Usha Vance.
Just after noon, the Vances stopped outside the church. Each left a bouquet of flowers and observed the growing memorial. They did not make any public remarks.
The Vances held private meetings with Annunciation leaders and the parents of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who were killed in the shooting. Later, they went to Children’s Minnesota to visit Lydia Kaiser, who is one of two children still hospitalized after the shooting. Lydia’s parents spoke about the meeting, with her father Harry Kaiser sharing a letter he read to Vance.
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“Will you please promise me, as a father and a Catholic, that you will earnestly support the study of what is wrong with our culture, that we are the country that has the worst mass shooter problem?” he asked. “Will you please promise to pursue, despite powerful lobbies, some common sense, bipartisan legislation as a starting point so we can come out of our corners and find the values that we share so that this time, some progress is made?”
Ahead of and during the Vances’ visit to the church, people gathered nearby holding signs with messages including “Pro Life = Pro Gun Safety” and “Ban assault rifles now!”
Among the crowd was Kacie Sharpe, who said her son was in the church during the shooting — and was a close friend of Fletcher Merkel.
“Nothing is being done. And one small step we can take is banning these weapons from the street,” Sharpe said. “You do not need these weapons to protect yourself. You do not need these weapons to hunt. You do not need them. They’re for the military. They’re not for people to be able to go in a store down the street for $600 and buy one. This is not OK.”
“It’s really hard to be on the news and be talking about this right now, but this is a political problem,” Sharpe added. “Something has to be done. My son lost his best friend in the world because these politicians won’t do anything.”
Victim’s parents share statement after meeting Vance
Leah and Harry Kaiser, whose daughter is one of the two children still hospitalized following the shooting, asked that their remarks be shared in full. Below is their full statement.
Leah: “My name is Leah Kaiser, and I am Lydia Kaiser’s mother. I’ve given a lot of thought about speaking publicly, and I’ve decided I have something to say. First, I want to say to Jackie and Mike and Jesse and Mollie: My heart hurts for you and for your pain of losing your beautiful children, Harper and Fletcher.
Harry and I and so many others are with you in your grief. I want to thank Father Zehren, Principal DeBoer, and the teachers for protecting our little ones and the amazing first responders and hospital staff for bringing us all to safety and treating our injuries.
All of us, moms, teachers, you reporters and vice presidents, we all have an obligation to use this moment. As principal DeBoer said when he quoted an African proverb, ‘when you pray, move your feet.’
Vice President Vance, you have enormous authority. Please use this moment to move your feet and transcend our political divides to promote peace and unity and hope. This is what the people of the United States will hold you accountable to. This Annunciation community is a force of good in the world, and we invite you to be the same.
On the sidewalk in front of the church, in front of the boarded-up windows, someone wrote the prayer of Saint Francis, which says, ‘Make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. And where there is sadness, only joy.’
That is it. That’s everything. That’s all I want to say.”
Harry: “Everybody’s telling me that we still need to be praying for one of my seventh-grade students, Sophia, so that the family is asking for us to storm heaven with prayers.
My name is Harry Kaiser. I’m the gym teacher at Annunciation, and the father of Lydia, who’s still upstairs. I teach all the students at Annunciation, and the Vice President asked to come and talk to us today and before he left, I asked him if he would let me read a note. So I would like to — I’d like to read that.
‘Mr. Vice President, thank you for coming to see Lydia. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for my kids to meet a vice president. And for the sake of Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel and Lydia and Sophia and all my students, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of having your ear for a moment.
We disagree about so many things. We both know both sides and all the talking points we fall back on, but on just this one issue of gun violence, will you please promise me, as a father and a Catholic that you will earnestly support the study of what is wrong with our culture, that we are the country that has the worst mass shooter problem?
We were at Mass singing about being called to act with justice, love, service and humility. Will you please promise to pursue, despite powerful lobbies, some common sense, bipartisan legislation as a starting point so we can come out of our corners and find the values that we share so that this time, some progress is made?
Thoughts and prayers haven’t been enough. Many policies have been dismissed without even being studied or tried. It's so complicated. I don't claim to have the answers, but we have to commit to looking. Then we can feel good about defending life.
If one thing changes for the better, perhaps Fletcher’s and Harper’s deaths and all the injuries and destruction might bring about even more unity, love and light than I have already seen this past week. One law, one executive order, one policy. You can call it ‘the Annunciation Bill.’ Then I’ll be able to look Lydia and Sophia and all my students in the eye and say I tried Sincerely, Harry Kaiser.’
I just wanted to make my family proud and my church proud, and the — Fletcher’s family and Harper's family proud of what I said, and everybody at Annunciation. Thank you.”
Archbishop is glad parents met with Vance
Archbishop Bernard Hebda told MPR News on Morning Edition that he was not expecting to be part of the meetings with the vice president.
“I don’t think I made the cut for the invite list, but I was happy to hear that the parents were interested in meeting with the vice president.” Hebda said. “I know they’ve met with other politicians as well, and I think it gives an opportunity for them to put a face on this great tragedy.”
Hebda also said it has been edifying to see all the prayers and other support from Pope Leo and other clergy, the community and beyond for all the families whose children attend Annuciation.
“For them to have the opportunity to share, up close, with the vice president and his wife, as they’ve done with our governor and our senator and our mayor, I think is a great opportunity to educate about what occurred and then to begin planning for how we can move forward,” the archbishop said.
What is known about the shooting
The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died by suicide after firing 116 rifle rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows last Wednesday while hundreds of students and others gathered for worship.
While investigators say they have not found a clear motive for the attack, the shooter had connections to the school. Westman’s mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, and Westman once attended the school.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said last week that the shooter left behind videos and writings that “expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable” but admiration for mass killers.
The school has not yet announced when classes will resume or when a ceremony will be held to essentially reconsecrate the church so that worship can resume there. The church celebrated its Masses last weekend in the school auditorium.
Blue and green ribbons are tied around trees throughout the neighborhood and across the Twin Cities to show support for the Annunciation community.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
