‘UnPHILtered’: How to talk to kids about Sunday’s mass shootings

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Sunday’s mass shootings at Greenwood Park Mall and in a Beech Grove park have re-ignited conversations about gun violence in central Indiana.

A husband, his wife and another man died, and Elisjsha Dicken, 22, fired his Glock handgun 10 times to take out the 20-year-old shooter before more people were hurt, the Greenwood police chief said Monday. The three Indianapolis residents who died were Pedro Pineda, 56; Rosa Mirian Rivera de Pineda, 37; and Victor Gomez, 30.

These conversations can be difficult to have, especially with kids.

Joining News 8 anchor Phil Sanchez on Wednesday night’s “UnPHILtered” was Jennifer Voelker, a licensed mental health counselor at Community Health Network.

She discussed how to talk to kids about gun violence.

• Police investigating possible online posts from mall shooter containing Nazi imagery
• Friend of Greenwood park shooting victim Victor Gomez saw him moments before he died
• Speculation grows around motive for Greenwood Park Mall shooting
• 911 calls reveal shock, horror after Greenwood Park Mall shooting

Mental health resources

• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
• More resources