ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The City of Rochester is offering free mental health support events at city R-Centers this week to help the community address the trauma caused by the mass shooting at Maplewood Park on July 28 that left two people dead and five injured.

“This is trauma that impacts the entire community. They don’t realize that it impacts you sometimes. You don’t realize it, so that’s why we are trying to normalize this conversation around mental health. Because something like this has never been done in Rochester before,” Mayor Evans said.

Marshay Williams says her cousin was at the event and has experienced gun violence more than once in Rochester.

“Just barely missed bullets. So she’s, we are all reeling from it,” Williams said. “She’s very traumatized. We all are. We really don’t want to go outside anymore. We really don’t want to go outside anymore.”

Williams is grateful the city is offering the support but wishes it was put in place sooner. She believes people can benefit from talking about what they’ve witnessed.

“It’s nice to have someone to talk to, but I think it can only help so much, ’cause you still have to get in your own head and your own body and go to another event if you decide and get through that even without being terrified,” Williams said.

When asked if she would take advantage of the mental health resources being offered, Williams said, “I’m terrified, I’m not going to lie.” She added, “The way I’m feeling, I can’t shake it anymore, so I definitely will. It’s so much deeper than I can even assess.”

The mental health support events are being held on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week. The times and locations are posted in this story.

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