Chicago police, nonprofits seek to help community heal after mass shooting at Halloween party
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Days after 15 people were wounded in a mass shooting at a Halloween party in the North Lawndale neighborhood, Chicago police, local outreach groups, and non-profits have been helping victims recover from both the physical and emotional wounds.
Police and Cook County prosecutors on Tuesday announced charges against 48-year-old William Groves, a convicted felon who shouldn't have had a gun in the first place. Groves is charged with 15 counts of attempted murder, 15 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, 1 count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, and 1 count of aggravated discharge of a firearm.
Authorities said he was drunk and angry about getting kicked out of the party when he opened fire early Sunday. The shooting left scars beyond the physical wounds for the victims and the community.
Victims said they are still dealing with the pain – physically and emotionally – but the Chicago Police Department and other organizations are lending a helping hand.
"This is a disease to us," said Terrance Henderson, outreach operations manager for Chicago CRED, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing gun violence. "The trauma is what causes a lot of the violence that's happening out here - people is impacted generationally, that's been holding trauma in, and that hasn't had anyone to talk to, and hasn't had anyone to help them through those events. And then it comes out in incidents like this."
CRED stands for Create Real Economic Destiny. The group provides therapy, job placement services, and programming for men who are at high risk of committing crimes or becoming victims of gun violence. They, along with other organizations, joined forces with the Chicago Police Department to help victims of the mass shooting find counseling and, set them up with victims' compensation funds.
"The Illinois Attorney General's office has a victim compensation fund, which people are eligible to apply for. We help them go through that process so they can begin that application process," said Chicago Police Director of Community Policing Glen Brooks.
CBS 2's Shardaa Gray reached out to a few of the victims who were shot over the weekend. They didn't want to speak on camera, but said they do plan to stop by to see what the Police Department has to offer.
On Monday, Paris Brown spoke from his hospital bed about how he is still dealing with the trauma from the shooting.
"I'm all over the place mentally, right now, but I know that I'm happy to be alive, grateful; and I know I'm alive for a reason," he said.
"Just to be traumatized, you will hear certain sounds and you will be scared to go places if you just keep that unpacked thing. So I feel like it's important for them to speak to someone," Henderson said.
An emergency assistance center was open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Young Men's Education Network (YMEN), 1241 S. Pulaski Rd., to offer support for victims of gun violence. YMEN officials said, after Tuesday's event, they will be in the community to help those victims for days to come.