Police say 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski were killed when Robin Westman opened fire outside Annunciation Catholic Church and School on Wednesday.

Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel’s father, Jesse Merkel, has now spoken out for the first time. With tears in his eyes at a press conference, he delivered a powerful and heartbreaking tribute to his little boy.

“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our eight-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” Merkel said. “Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.”

He shared that Fletcher loved cooking, sports, and fishing, and treasured every moment with his family.

“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