LOS ANGELES (KNX) – As the world mourns the six lives lost in Monday’s mass shooting at a private Christian grade school in Nashville, one psychologist is sharing his experience being at the scene.
“It (was a) strange but horrifying experience for me,” Dr. Shamender Talwar told L.A. Morning News.
Dr. Talwar, a social psychologist from the U.K., was in Nashville working on a mental health project. When he heard about the shooting at The Covenant School, he said he went over right away.
“The mayor recognized me and introduced me to the police, the chaplains there and other, medical advisor,” he recalled.
Police said 28-year-old Audrey Hale opened fire at the The Covenant School, killing three children and three adults Monday morning. Moments later, Hale was shot and killed by police.
The victims were identified as 9-year-olds Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, 61-year-old Cynthia Peak, 60-year-old Katherine Koonce, and 61-year-old Mike Hill.
“And so we went inside the church and when I walked into the church with all the parents were, the atmosphere was like a funeral…it was somber and you could see the fear and anger in the parents and anguish within them."
Dr. Talwar said he tried to comfort the parents, noting, “It’s horrible to be there because even as a psychologist, what do you actually say to them?”
He also told L.A. Morning News it’s time for officials to find a solution to this ongoing issue.
“I would urge officials to put forth a referendum on guns this country,” he said. “Let the people decide where they want to go with this. I think that was the best way to, to the way to tackle gun control. But tackling the stigma of mental illness should be the first item on the agenda and it's time now to demand that action because I think it's not been taken as seriously as it should be.”
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