SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Just a day after the mass shooting in downtown Sacramento that killed six people and injured a dozen others, local groups are working to offer assistance and support to those who need it most. Whether you lost a loved one or were a witness and survivor of the shooting, there are resources out there.
"We were harmed as a community, we want to heal as a community," said Nina Acosta, program manager for the Victim Witness Program in the Sacramento County District Attorney's office.
A family assistance center has opened at Cal Expo to offer support to victims and families who are affected by the downtown Sacramento shooting.
The Red Cross emotional support team, Sacramento crisis/trauma chaplaincy and the victim-witness advocates from the County' DA's office are providing crisis counseling, spiritual and emotional care and help navigating victim compensation care. There will also be additional community resources offered based on the need. The center will be open Monday through Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1600 Exposition Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815.
Resources can be found below.
- Victim Witness Program at the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office at 916-874-5701
- Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento 916-857-1801 This is a 24 hour help line.
- American Red Cross 916-993-7070
A Sacramento-area nonprofit that seeks to educate individuals on topics surrounding mental health and trauma experiences is providing free therapy sessions to anyone who has been impacted by the shooting.
Ms. Ahisha Lewis, the founding director of A Different Path, said clients can schedule as many appointments as they need for the next 90 days. In-office appointments will only be available for those 12 and under.
“Our community is hurting, have been hurting and we have to figure out how to prevent this hurt from continuing,” Lewis said. “I have to answer the call, and the call is I have to give you whatever it is you need to get through this.”
If you are interested in signing up, you can fill out the form HERE.
If you were impacted by the mass shooting in downtown Sacramento, Mental Health First Sacramento is offering a health crisis hotline. A team of trained volunteers are available to talk and provide resources at (916) 670-4062.
Along with emotional and mental support, financial assistance is also a critical need for victims of crimes. The California Victim Compensation Board offers money to victims and their family for expenses related to violent crime, including medical bills, therapy and funeral costs. The victim services unit at Lao Family Community Development is helping families fill out those forms.
Jessica Cárdenas, the site supervisor for victim services, said the organization is also helping families fill out police reports.
“I know a lot of people outside of this victimization are very hesitant to reach out to police or report anything, or they don’t have the linguistic capacity to report to police... we help our clients go directly to police offices and help report, help translate,” Cárdenas said.
If you need help, you can call any of Lao Family Community Development’s offices.
- 7171 Bowling Drive office: 916-393-7501
- 3205 Hurley Way office: 916-359-2788
Do you know of any resources for those impacted by the downtown Sacramento shooting? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310. We will continue to update this list.