Most of us have read or heard about the tragic mass shooting on the morning of August 27th at the Church of the Annunciation in the Windom neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The shooting occurred during a scheduled school-wide Mass attended by both the students and faculty of the Annunciation Catholic School.
There were 18 children who were hurt, 3 adults that also were hurt and 2 children who were killed. We all looked in horror that a shooter would violate children in a church service. The irony of children believing that they were in a safe religious sanctuary and experiencing such violence is horrific.
Our hearts and prayers go out to these children as well as their parents and the school staff. What a devastating way to return to school in a church-based setting. It cautions all of us who run schools to be even more vigilant about protecting our students and faculty. Lots of issues can be brought to the forefront as we seek to find protection and safety for our students. Mental health services for the shooter prior to the violence, gun control issues, school safety protocols, police presence, parental involvement are all part of the considerations that will continue to surface in the aftermath of this tragedy.
As much as these issues are important to discuss with a view to prevention, what has happened has created a community impact. It could be labelled a case of community post-traumatic stress. There is grief, fear, hypervigilance, reliving of the mass shooting, insecurity and a sense of need for over-protection of the students and the school. Just the thought of the children attending school there can bring a significant sense of stress and anxiety. Even the social media realities will be a constant reminder of the horror of the day that it happened. The impact of this event will last for years and the sense of vulnerability will be prevalent for some time to come.
What is also significant is the impact that this event will have for the entire lives of the children involved, whether they were hurt or just present watching the violence. What will happen to the way their brains are wired for protection? Will they ever feel safe when they attend a church service? What will be their reactions to unpredictable events that surprise them? Will they have nightmares about the shooting? What triggers will lead them to panic? How will they cope when they encounter stress in life from now on?
Such a traumatizing event will be a part of their memories no matter where they are and what they will be doing. Trauma has impact physically, emotionally, relationally and in this case spiritually. It will be significantly important for all of these children to have a therapeutic coping process which can help them when they face the consequences of their memories of this horrific day. What most see as a moment in time, this community of individuals will be processing the impact of for the rest of their lives.
Gerry Vassar
President/CEO
