INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Management at Oval Spring Apartments in Independence are offering mental health resources for residents after a police shooting Nov. 7 at the complex left two people dead, including a child.
“Even today, the energy today is just kind of eerie,” Gavin Delaney, the assistant property manager, said Monday. “It's a tragedy, that's the bottom line. No one wanted this to happen.”
Carrie Lufkin is the property manager at the apartments and Delaney’s boss.
KSHB 41’s Alyssa Jackson spoke with her Thursday, the day the incident occurred.
She and Delaney were both working Thursday.
“I think it's even a little more tough being right outside and still having no concept of what happened,” he said.
Delaney says he was in the apartment to help de-escalate the situation before and after police arrived.
Despite his proximity to the incident, there are still lingering questions.
“I was very shocked at how quickly things took a turn,” Delaney said. “It was really chaotic, you know. There was probably 20 police cars rolled up at one time, and nobody really knows what’s going on.”
It’s been a long weekend for Lufkin and Delaney, so they can only imagine how hard it’s been for residents.
“I think it’s very important to provide as much support as we can to our community, to our residents and to the children that were all affected by this,” Lufkin said. “This whole situation stemmed from mental health, people that were not mentally healthy.”
That’s why she helped spearhead efforts to provide mental health resources for tenants living at the complex. On Monday, specialists from Comprehensive Mental Health Services in Independence were at the complex.
“They’re here to offer support, allow individuals to talk through the situation they experienced, how they're feeling,” said Julie Pratt, the regional president and CEO at Comprehensive Mental Health Services, Inc. ,in the Kansas City region.
Pratt said there was a co-responder from Comprehensive Mental Health at the complex Thursday, but that person did not enter the apartment or get involved with the situation.
The co-responder’s role was to provide help and support alongside officers.
Pratt says they've had a relationship with the Independence Police Department and other departments to provide co-responder mental health services for years.
The specialists who were at Oval Spring on Monday will be back at the complex Tuesday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
“It just helps to talk,” Delaney said.
He and Lufkin share a philosophy.
“It’s not just a job to us,” Lufkin said. “It’s these people’s homes, it’s their children, it’s their lives.”
An Independence Police Department spokesperson offered this response Monday: "The incident is still under investigation and with the Eastern Jackson County Police Involved Investigation Team. We will release more information as we can."
Comprehensive Mental Health Services also offered this statement Monday: "We are working alongside our allies in emergency response to identify where our team members can best help people affected by an officer-involved shooting in Independence, knowing that every person will process the trauma they feel in different ways. Comprehensive Mental Health Services (CMHS) and its parent company, Brightli, encourage anyone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis to reach out for help.Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis may call CMHS at (816) 254-3652 or can call or text 988, which is available 24/7 and offers rapid access to safe and confidential support from trained specialists. Behavioral health crisis support is available for any reason at any time. Comprehensive Mental Health Services’ Behavioral Crisis Center is open to anyone ages 18 and older experiencing a mental health or substance-use crisis. It is open 24 hours per day at 17421 Medical Center Parkway in Independence. No appointment is necessary. More information is available at https://thecmhs.com/locations/#bcc [thecmhs.com]."
Lufkin is also organizing a vigil to honor the life of the child at 7 p.m. Friday, November 15, at the complex, 16704 Larkspur Lane in Independence.
The vigil will be held in front of the building where the incident happened.
She said in a Facebook post people are welcome to bring balloons and candles and the apartment complex will provide balloons and candles for those who don't have them. They will be releasing purple and white balloons.
Property management can be reached at 816-281-6479.
