Girl, 10, killed in Minneapolis school shooting pictured for first time

The 10-year-old girl killed in the Minneapolis school shooting has been pictured for the first time.

Harper Moyski, 10, died alongside schoolboy Fletcher Merkel, 8, when "coward" Robin Westman carried out a shooting at his old school on Wednesday. Eighteen other people including children aged between six and 15, as well as three adults in their 80s, were also injured in the attack.

Male Robin Westman, who changed his name from Robert Westman in 2020, fired through stained glass windows of the school's church whilechildren were sitting in pews. He was unable to get into the church. Harper's parents Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said she was a "bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness and spirit touched everyone who knew her."

READ MORE: Boy, 8, killed in Catholic school shooting named as dad brands killer 'coward'

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They added in a statement: "Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper's sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain."

They went on to urge communities to "take meaningful steps" to address gun violence as well as mental health issues in the US. Westman, who previously identified as a transgender woman before appearing to step away from that identification in his manifesto, purchased his weapons legally.

Harper's family added: "Change is possible, and it is necessary - so that Harper's story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies." Speaking to NBC News, Fletcher's dad Jesse Merkel hit out at "coward" Westman.

He said of his son: "Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sports 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 can find healing."

An investigation is underway to establish a motive behind the attack, although FBI Director Kash Patel said shortly after Westman died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound that it was a hate crime against Catholics.

In videos uploaded to YouTube before being deleted, Westman wrote anti-Semitic and anti-Indian messages onto firearms and magazines. The videos also showed a target with the face of Jesus placed onto it as well as the names of other mass shooters.

According to the GunViolenceArchive, which collects information about shootings from across the US, there have been 285 mass shootings in the country this year. A mass shooting in the US is classified as a gun-related event with a minimum of four victims being shot, either injured or killed.