SALT LAKE CITY — For Rose Park resident Courtney Reeser, there were no words to describe the violence she has seen in her neighborhood. She lives in the house her father grew up in, and Rose Park is something special to her and her family.
After this week's fatal shooting outside a neighborhood church, Reeser, who serves as the Rose Park Community Council Chairperson, knew there would be a long road to healing.
“To have some violence like this occur at a place that is not designed for violence. Not expected for violence is really, really heartbreaking,” she said. “This sort of violence impacts all of us. It hurts, we don’t know how to heal it.”
As a psychologist, Matthew Draper understands the impacts that can come from gun violence.
“[Gun violence] often decreases our overall felt safety in the world. The world becomes to us, a more dangerous place... and there, for that will increase their overall anxiety and stress levels.”
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Draper is the clinical director at Paramita Perspectives and urges people not to be afraid to ask for help, especially after major events, when neighbors often need to lean on one another.
“Asking for moral support. Giving moral support, especially in these communities, becomes very, very important,” he explained.
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On Friday, the Salt Lake City Police Department set up an assistance center at the LDS church at 1155 North 1200 West for anyone who needs support or someone to talk to about what happened.
“We’re just here to help humans in a dark day,” said Wendy Isom, the department's director of victim services.
The police department is offering victim services, counseling, spiritual care and other resources available until 8 p.m. Friday.
