Grief turns to hope as Minneapolis rallies behind kids hurt in school shooting
Over 100 people gathered across the street from the children's ward at Minneapolis' Hennepin County Medical Center to pray for the kids recovering there after they were shot at the Annunciation Catholic School this week.
Teachers, students and nurses, as well as police officers who had heard about the Thursday night candlelight vigil over their dispatch radios, all joined together for a moment of silence, united in a shared sense of grief and hope after Wednesday's mass shooting.
"This is every nurse/mother’s worst nightmare, and worst fear come true," a flyer for the vigil said. "We’d like anyone who is interested to come join us to light up [Minneapolis] with candlelight, love, and support, for the kids, their families and our staff."
One of those victims is 12-year-old Sophia Forchas, who is in critical condition after undergoing surgery. It’s a tragedy that struck her entire family at once -- her younger brother was inside Annunciation Catholic School at the time of the shooting and her mom is a pediatric nurse at the hospital where Sophia was admitted.
"Sofia's mother was called into work, and only to find out when she arrived that her daughter was one of the victims, unfortunately," Father Timothy Sas of St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church told ABC News.
"No priest is ever prepared enough to offer consolation for a moment like this," he said.
He described Sophia as "luminous" and "bright," an active student at school and in church.
"She's pulled through, and we need about two, three days before they can understand what her future prognosis is," he said.
The gunfire erupted during Wednesday morning Mass, when a shooter opened fire through the windows of the school's church, killing an 8-year-old boy, Fletcher Merkel, and a 10-year-old girl, Harper Moyski.
Eighteen people -- including 15 kids -- were injured.
All injured victims are expected to survive, police said. Eight of the victims remain hospitalized.
Minneapolis Community Safety Commissioner Todd Barnette on Friday commended the "children who protected their friends from gunfire" and the "school and faith leaders who ran into the church and the scene without worrying about their own safety."
The 23-year-old shooter, who previously attended the school, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. A motive remains unknown.
"There has been conversation" with the shooter’s mother, Minneapolis Police Assistant Chief Christopher Gaiters said on Friday, though he did not elaborate.
