Minneapolis school shooting latest: Robin Westman ‘wanted to watch children suffer’, officials say – UK Times

The mother of Sophia Forchas, one of the 15 children injured in Wednesday’s deadly shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, is a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit who was working at the hospital the morning when her daughter and others began arriving for emergency treatment.

“Her mother, a Pediatric Critical Care nurse, arrived at work to help during the tragedy, before knowing it was her children’s school that was attacked, and that her daughter was critically injured,” according to a GoFundMe page that lists Forchas’ father Thomas as an organizer.

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After seeing a visibly distressed child about to undergo a CT scan following Wednesday’s shooting, a nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center sat with her throughout the procedure despite the danger of radiation exposure.

Safety protocols stipulate that medical staff should clear the room to prevent radiation exposure.

The nurse “put a little lead on, stayed there and held her hand and held her hair while she went through scanners so she didn’t have to go through alone,” Dr. Jon Gayken, one of the head trauma surgeons at Hennepin County Medical Center, said.

Several medical first responders — many of whom were stationed just blocks away from the church — have children enrolled at the Catholic school, officials announced on Thursday.

“Those are the types of things we witnessed yesterday,” Gayken added.

The two children who were killed in Wednesday’s attack have now been named by their families.

Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel was described by his father in an emotional statement on Thursday as a kid who “loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sports he was allowed to play.”

“Because of [the shooter’s] actions, 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,” Jesse Merkel said.

Shortly after, 10-year-old Harper Moyski was named in a statement shared on her parents’ behalf.

“Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her,” the statement from Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin read, per CNN.

“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”

While police previously described the writings of shooter Robin Westman as a “manifesto,” a close review by CNN found that the hand-written entries appeared to be more of a jumbled, stream-of-consciousness than any coherent plan or declaration of purpose.

“This is not a church or religion attack, that is not the message,” Westman wrote. “The message is there is no message.”

The shooter added: “I really just want a place to put my thoughts… I can’t talk to a therapist or family cause I will immediately be reported and put on a watchlist!”Westman had suffered from depression, as well as suicidal and homicidal thoughts for years, per CNN.

The second victim of the deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday has been identified as Harper Moyski, age 10.

“We are devastated to share that our beloved daughter, Harper Moyski, was tragically killed in the recent school shooting,” parents Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said in a statement to media outlets.

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Sarah Jerstad, psychologist and medical director of outpatient mental health services at Children’s Minnesota, says it is understandable for parents to feel “very scared” in the aftermath of horrific events such as school shootings.

“This is a time when parents feel out of control. They recognize in these situations that they cannot always be there to protect their child, which underscores their feelings of being out of control,” she told MPR News.

“Parents need support too. That support may come from their community, friends, mental health professionals or other parents who have children in the same school.”

Jerstad adds: “Sometimes a parent thinks that keeping their child at home is the best way to ensure their safety. While this might feel comforting initially, it is not a long-term solution.

“It’s important to gradually ease back into normal activities and support each other through the process.”