Family assistance center opens at Highland Park High School; where to retrieve items
HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- The parade route is still the scene of an investigation as police and FBI continue to comb through the area for evidence.
Some families are beginning to get back the things they had to so frantically leave behind. CBS 2 Asal Rezaei visited Highland Park High School, 433 Vine Ave, where a family assistance center is set up.
This is a place many families have been coming to look for their belongings -- things like chairs, shoes, and their children's toys. It's also been a place where people have come to drop off donations for those that are also going for trauma counseling.
There's still so much to process both mentally and physically for the victims of this shooting.
Police are bringing items they've already investigated here to release them to their owners; some items too big to be brought here like one woman's car. She says her van was parked near the parade route and she hasn't had access to it or the rest of her family's belongings still behind crime tape at the scene.
While the FBI has helped her get her van back, there are still a lot of things they're waiting to show up here at the high school, that woman, a grandmother, tells us what she went through that day and how she's feeling now.
"I saw people start to run in front of me. at which point I quickly turned toward my right, which would be toward where the shooter was, and I saw several bodies on the ground, and I just took off running," she said.
"it just would be nice to get our things back, if they're around."
A woman stopped by to donate a few items for those heading to the school.
"I'm sure that people who are here, receiving counseling and, tears are just pouring out," said Wendi Bowers.
There's everything from crisis counseling available for people here, to spiritual care, therapy dogs, and childcare services.
The Illinois attorney general's office will even be providing information on how to access crime victim compensation programs.
The counseling and resources here are really for anyone that needs it right now that including anyone who was present at the parade, anyone who lost someone that day, or just anyone in the community that's experiencing emotional distress.
They'll have their doors open here from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Saturday is to be determined.
Anyone seeking services at the center should enter at Entrance H, at Woodpath Lane and St. Johns Avenue. You need to bring a state ID or driver's license to enter the building. Security will work with anyone who does not have ID, because it was left behind at the parade route.
Who and what will be the services offered?
- Crisis counseling
- Trauma-informed therapists
- Spiritual care
- Red Cross disaster mental health assistance
- IL Attorney General's Office will provide information on accessing IL Crime Victim Compensation Program benefits
- Lake County State's Attorney's Office will provide county-level victims services and basic updates on the criminal case
- FBI Victim Services
- Therapy dogs
- Childcare for those visiting the FAC
Who should be accessing which resources?
FBI Victim Services resources:
- Members of the public present at and injured at Monday's parade
- Next of kin of deceased victims
- Members of the public present at Monday's parade and experiencing emotional distress
Local community resources:
- Any member of the public negatively affected by Monday's events, whether present at the parade or not.
What belongings are available now, and where can the public find their belongings?
Easily identifiable belongings that were dropped in the below locations (areas 1, 4, 5, and 6 on the attached Google map) are available for pick-up at the FAC during open hours:
- On Central between Green Bay and Second
- On Central between First and the railroad tracks
- On Second between Central and Laurel
- On First between Central and Laurel
What is an easily identifiable belonging?
- Any item that can easily be reunited with an owner. Examples would generally be purses, bags, bicycles, phones, and strollers.
When will other belongings be available, and why is there a delay?
- After items are evaluated for investigative value, they will become available for pick-up. This process will unfortunately take time, but we will update the community as quickly as possible.
Can someone pick up someone else's belongings?
- Each person may only pick up their own belongings.
