Law enforcement, mental health professionals alarmed by 'increased' mass shootings
For the last eight years, Capt. Brian Bowers has supervised the SRO program for the Wake County Sheriff's Office and says changes will definitely be made to upcoming training based on the school mass shooting in Tennessee.
The Nashville school had all the suggested safety precautions in place. Still, someone was able to break through and kill innocent children, as well as faculty members.
Bowers is alarmed by the frequency of these mass shootings.
"It doesn't have to be a school. It can be a church, it can be a shopping mall where a mass shooting takes place," said Bowers. "I think maybe you have to look at entry points. Do you put in bullet-resistant glass, and different locking mechanisms? Do you station somebody - security or officers - at an entry point? It's just a lot of stuff and it takes a lot of personnel if you put somebody at each entrance to a school of building."
WakeMed Psychiatrist Dr. Nerissa Price says it's important for parents and guardians to have continued conversations with their kids, although there is some worry with that.
"The message being watered down or children, or young people, being numb to these types of events," said Price.
She says some children will react immediately after a mass shooting. They could become scared to go to school or have issues sleeping.
RELATED | Continuous mass shootings have an impact on children's mental well-being, experts say
Other children might have a delayed reaction.
"It may be several weeks or months down the road, so it's important to check with kids even weeks later - when this seems to have past - there are definitely some children where this may affect them later," said Price.
RELATED STORIES
Nashville school shooting updates: Suspect owned 7 guns, all legally purchased
WATCH: Highland Park survivor calls for change after Nashville school shooting
