Vice President JD Vance visits families, victims of Annunciation shooting

Vice President JD Vance met privately on Wednesday with the parents of the two children killed last week at a school Mass in Minneapolis, offering words of support but steering clear of the developing political fight over tougher gun laws.

Accompanied by his wife, second lady Usha Vance, the vice president visited the sanctuary at Annunciation Church. Before entering the church, the Vances laid bouquets at a memorial outside Annunciation and paused to read chalk messages on the steps.

The two children killed were 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski; 21 other people were injured, mostly children.

Fletcher’s and Harper’s names were written in big block letters near where the Vances laid flowers. The couple spoke with Annunciation’s pastor, the Rev. Dennis Zehren, and Annunciation Catholic School’s principal, Matt DeBoer.

“I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did,” Vance told reporters before he departed from Minnesota in the afternoon. He said the parents he met opened their hearts to him amid “the worst grief of their entire lives.”

“There is nothing you can say that can take away the grief that these parents are dealing with,” said Vance, who has three children under 10.

“One of the ways that I’m going to try to honor these parents and the children that they lost is by being a better dad and hugging my kids tight tonight and making sure that they know that their dad loves them, because there are two families who are not going to get that opportunity ever again,” he added.

Vance also visited 12-year-old student Lydia Kaiser, who is recovering from surgery at Children’s Minnesota in Minneapolis. Harry Kaiser, Lydia’s father and a gym teacher at Annunciation, thanked Vance for visiting.

“I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for my kids to meet a vice president,” he said, quoting from a letter he read to Vance. He added that he hoped the vice president could help pursue bipartisan legislation to help prevent mass shootings. “Thoughts and prayers haven’t been enough.”

A crowd of several dozen protesters gathered nearby as the Vances visited Annunciation, shouting at them to “protect our kids!” Several protesters carried signs calling for action to prevent gun violence.

“Catholic mom praying for an assault weapon ban,” one sign read.

Patrick DuSchane, whose 3-year-old son was inside Annunciation during the shooting and whose pregnant wife, Laura, sprinted to the church to find the child, said Vance’s visit felt hollow.

Caitlin Nolan-Bjorge stood outside her house, across from the church, with her two kids, both 6 years old. She said she was angry about Vance’s visit.

“It makes me sick to my stomach because I know he’s not going to do anything,” Nolan-Bjorge said, adding that her kids were “exposed to a lot that day.”

The vice president mostly kept a low profile during his visit, not meeting with any of the state’s politicians, including Walz and GOP legislative leaders.

In brief remarks to reporters, Vance said he did not want to tell lawmakers how to respond to the shooting when asked about the possibility of legislative action on gun laws.

“I think all of us, Democrat, Republican and independent, want these school shootings to happen less frequently,” he said. “Hopefully there’s some steps that we can take to make that happen.”

“They need to know that someone cares,” said Emmer, who added that “the way forward is to address the mental health crisis and empower law enforcement to crack down on crime.”