Rochester Hills, Michigan (CBS Detroit) – The Rochester Hills community Saturday night’s senseless act of gun violence Nine people were injured, including two children.
Sadly, this is not the first time Oakland County has responded to this type of violence, with the Oxford High School tragedy still fresh in people’s memories.
The incident prompted swift action from Rochester Hills agencies, but it has left psychological scars that may take longer to heal than the gunshot wounds.
“We urge anyone who has been traumatized by this incident, anyone who has been affected, whether that be an immediate family member, a Rochester Hills resident or simply a local resident, to reach out for help,” Oakland County Mayor Dave Coulter said.
Anyone struggling in the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting can get help at the Rochester Hills Public Services Building.
“The support that’s provided there is debriefing and facilitating connection to longer-term supports and services if needed for the individual or family,” said Adam Hamilton, clinical services director for Oakland County Health Network.
With one of the nine victims being as young as four years old, these services can help parents talk to their children about what happened, as well as teach them how to check if they’re OK.
“Especially with young children, I want them to be direct and to the point, but not to go into too much detail. It’s really important to emphasize that we are safe right now and that those who need to step in and help are doing so,” Hamilton said.
Patty Moats moved to Oxford in October 2021 after raising her children in Rochester Hills for 20 years. A month later, a gunman attacked Oxford High School, killing four people. Having been connected to both tragedies, she drove back to Rochester Hills to pray for those recovering.
“I pray for them. I pray for a full recovery. I pray that they’ll remember this in the days and months to come. And I needed to pray myself and I thought this was a good place to do it,” said Oakland County resident Patty Moats.
Part of this recovery is working to ensure that no one ever has to go through this again.
“We’ve gotten so good at reacting, we need to get better at preventing,” Coulter said.
This type of violence can have far-reaching effects, even if you don’t live in Oakland County. If you can’t get in-person help at the Rochester Hills Public Services Building, you can still contact Oakland County Nurse-On-Call by calling 800-848-5533. Lines are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
