BHN offering support services at Holyoke Mall following deadly shooting

HOLYOKE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Almost a week after the deadly shooting of an innocent bystander at the Holyoke Mall, efforts are underway to help shoppers deal with any potential trauma stemming from the incident.

The Behavioral Health Network’s (BHN) psychological first aid team was on-site at the Holyoke Mall on Thursday for people experiencing trauma after Saturday night’s deadly shooting of 33-year-old Trung Tran, a nail salon employee and innocent bystander. The suspect, 23-year-old Kenneth Santana-Rodriguez is in custody and is facing assault and battery with a deadly weapon and murder charges.

Mathew Robinson, coordinator of the BHN trauma response team, told Western Mass News what people may be experiencing in the aftermath of the shooting.

“They’re probably thinking ‘Is this going to happen again?’ You have some certain triggers now. You know you were there before, something very traumatic happened, you might be experiencing some anxiety,” Robinson explained.

Robinson said that studies have shown people not seeking proper care for physiological trauma has led to increases in anxiety and depression. BHN’s trauma response team is designed to help people get the initial help they need to work through some of their immediate mental health issues.

“Psychological first aid will help you talk through that and ask you ‘What do you think you will be feeling next time you go to the mall? What are some things you can do to make you feel safe or think about to make yourself feel safe?’” Robinson added.

Robinson added that their counseling services are different from person-to-person. Some may be dealing with more mental health issues and require additional counseling.

“This is something that is right in our own backyard now. Usually, you see these things on the news, it’s far away, so ‘Hey, this isn’t going to affect me, but this hits close to home,’” Robinson explained.

BHN will be set-up against next Tuesday inside the Holyoke Mall on the first floor to the left of the FYE. They’ll be there from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and no appointment is necessary to receive counseling.

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