SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — A deadly shooting at Shaker Heights Public Library on Tuesday has sparked city leaders to bring in mental health organizations to help the community process their feelings.
RELATED: 18-year-old man dies after shooting at Shaker Heights Public Library
“I think we just needed to get together as a community to grieve and feel our feelings,” said Mary Beth Rezek.
Days later and emotions are still raw for people like Rezek.
“There’s violence everywhere in the world. I’m really sad that it happened two blocks from my house,” said Rezek.
But she told News 5 she plans to return to the library once it’s open again and won’t let the gun violence slow her down.
“Oh no. No, we need to heal,” said Rezek.
As the community continues to heal from Tuesday’s deadly shooting where 18-year-old Charles Shanklin was shot and killed, Shaker Heights’ First CALL or Crisis Assistance and Local Linkage Program is helping the community find ways to respond, cope and move forward.
Officials asked us not to record the event, but we counted more than 50 people and even saw support from first responders, mental health professionals, local clergy and school and city officials like Councilwoman Carmella Williams.
“What happened was heartbreaking, so seeing the community rally together was really important for our community,” said Williams.
The mayor could not attend Thursday’s event due to a family matter, but like Williams and Councilwoman Tenille Kaus, they all said they were disappointed yet somehow encouraged by the community’s support.
“Shaker has been a community where we’ve worked together to solve difficult problems, and so I think bringing multiple leaders to the table so we can really hear what they need,” said Kaus.
In the meantime, two local pastors told News 5 they’re focused on comforting the community through an organization called Rivers in the Desert, which started after Rivers in the Desert Co-Founder Pastor Sharri Thomas said they experienced gun violence in front of their home. So now, they help people deal with trauma through a mobile healing room.
RELATED: Nonprofit launches The Healing Room, a mobile trauma unit to help people process grief
“No mother should ever have to bury her child, and so I'm just fortunate. My son was shot. He just happened to survive, but I understand that waiting and that pain, and so that's very important to be there for these parents and these family members,” said Thomas.
Chief Wayne Hudson also attended Thursday’s event, and he said the investigation is still ongoing.
Hudson also said they couldn’t release the individual’s name yet because they don’t know if the suspect will be charged as a juvenile or an adult.
