On Wednesday, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel went to school full of plans for the future. His mother, Mollie, on Wednesday gave him $20 to go to Starbucks with his siblings after school. It was going to be the first time he ordered on his own.

He was looking forward to finishing the first Harry Potter book and starting the second one, his parents said Friday. He wanted to learn how to make beef Wellington. He was excited about his father coaching him in flag football. There were Lego structures to build. More grilled cheese sandwiches to make. More frogs, bunnies, worms and turtles to bring into the house and inspect.

All of that was cut short that morning when an assailant armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a handgun fired on the school as Fletcher and other children sat in a Mass at Annunci

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