Classmates craft homemade cards to console girl injured in church shooting, according to her aunt.
In a heartbreaking incident, a shooting at the Church of Annunciation in Minneapolis resulted in the deaths of two students, most of the victims being children, and left 18 people wounded. As of Saturday, at least seven individuals, including five children and one adult, remain in the hospital.
Amidst the sorrow, the community has come together in a show of support. Genevieve Bisek, an 11-year-old girl who was injured in the shooting, is currently recovering in the intensive care unit of Hennepin County Medical Center. She has received numerous handmade cards from her fellow classmates, a small gesture that has brought comfort to her family during this difficult time.
Fletcher Merkel, an 8-year-old neighbor and friend of Genevieve's family, was one of the students killed in the shooting. The community's outpourings of support, including handmade cards, ribbons tied around trees, and online donations, have helped the family cope with their trauma.
The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, a 23-year-old individual, died by suicide after firing 116 rifle rounds through the church's stained-glass windows.
At a Mass held in the Annunciation school's auditorium on Saturday night, the Rev. Dennis Zehren spoke of hope for better days. He welcomed the light of a new day at Annunciation, emphasizing that in the most intense darkness, the light seems to shine even more brightly. Father Zehren's words emphasized the hope for better days despite the tragic events that occurred.
Genevieve, a sixth grader at the Catholic school, was conscious after the shooting and asked about the other children upon waking. Medical staff sedated Genevieve until Thursday, but her condition has since been upgraded from critical to satisfactory.
The Parkinsons Foundation, an organization that collects donations for families in need, has been collecting donations for Genevieve's family.
At the Mass, Father Zehren expressed his gratitude for the community's support and called for unity in the face of adversity. His words resonated with the congregation, offering a glimmer of hope in the aftermath of the tragic event.
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