Newport Mental Health is offering immediate support for anyone affected by Monday’s deadly shooting at the Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket.
A gunman opened fire during a youth hockey game Monday afternoon, killing two people and injuring three others before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the Associated Press. Police credited an unnamed good Samaritan who intervened, bringing the attack “to a swift end.” Authorities said the shooting appeared to be a targeted event stemming from a family dispute. The shooting came nearly two months after a gunman killed two students and wounded nine others at Brown University in Providence.
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“Our hearts are with all those who are grieving, in shock, or struggling to process this heartbreaking event,” the organization said in a statement Tuesday. “A crisis does not look the same for everyone. If this event has affected you in any way, please reach out for support.”
Newport Mental Health offers walk-in hours Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 42 Valley Road in Middletown. Its crisis helpline is staffed around the clock by mental health professionals at (401) 846-1213, option 1. Callers will speak with a trained professional who can offer phone support and, if needed, send a mobile crisis clinician to their location.
Clinicians provide support for adults, teens and children. The organization said people can call for themselves or on behalf of someone they are concerned about.
For parents looking for guidance on how to talk with children about the shooting, Newport Mental Health recommends resources available through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network at nctsn.org.
Newport Mental Health is one of six Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in Rhode Island. Those outside Newport County can find their nearest clinic at bhddh.ri.gov/CCBHC.