The parents of the two schoolchildren fatally shot in a Minneapolis church spoke out for the first time on Thursday afternoon, with some imploring the shaken community to address the root causes of shootings that target schools.

Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed on Wednesday morning when a shooter opened fire at a Mass that hundreds of students at Annunciation Catholic School attended.

Fifteen other Annunciation students between the ages of 6 and 15 years old were shot. Three adults — all in their 80s — were also shot. They have not been identified. Most of the victims are expected to survive, authorities said.

A call to action

In a statement released Thursday, Moyski’s parents described Harper as “a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old” who was “adored” by

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