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The father of one of two victims who died in a shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic Church Mass on Wednesday said his family will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him or watch him grow after a "coward" decided to take their 8-year-old’s life.

"Yesterday, a coward decided to take our … 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us. Because of their 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 on Thursday of his son. "Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play.

"While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time our family

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