Dr. Daniel Guzman wouldn’t be surprised if he treats more patients experiencing trauma from gun violence in the coming months.
The July 3 shooting in Fort Worth’s Como neighborhood showed Guzman, a physician at Cook Children’s, that more resources are needed to prevent gun violence and help residents’ mental health in the aftermath.
He sees the effects as he treats children injured by firearms weekly in the pediatric emergency room at Cook Children’s. Guzman and Cook Children’s started an effort in 2019 called Aim for Safety that teaches families what they can do to prevent accidental gun injuries.
“There’s always a tipping point,” Guzman said. “I think we’ve been there for a while, we’ve just got to mobilize and work together… to help find a way to decrease firearm violence in our city and state.”
The mental health toll doesn’t just affect those closest to gun violence — it ripples through a community and the nation, he said.
“It touches everyone,” Guzman said. “It’s not just one section of one community.”
As Como resident Malik Austin recounted his experience at a July 5 community event hosted by pastors and neighborhood leaders, he said that the impact of the incident extended beyond a single section of the community, echoing Guzman’s sentiment.
He was present during the shooting and tried to help one of the victims, he said. He said the Como community must support not only the victims, but all who may be impacted.
“We have to come together as a community to help everyone affected,” Austin said.
The psychological impact of a shooting extends beyond immediate victims, affecting survivors, families of victims and residents of the shooting’s location, Guzman said.
The effects can be both severe and enduring, encompassing conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, self-harm and major depressive disorders, according to the National Center for PTSD.
However, experts’ understanding of the collective mental health consequences stemming from firearm injuries remain limited because of limited data, Guzman said.
Businesses and organizations in Tarrant County, like Cook Children’s and My Health My Resources of Tarrant County, are ramping up initiatives within the county to address both individuals dealing with trauma and gun prevention.
Recently, Aim for Safety has evolved to a point where Cook Children’s sends emergency room data on shooting-related incidents to the city of Fort Worth, Tarrant County government and other civic leaders. The initiative recently added physicians from other hospitals, pastors and violence prevention leaders to the collaborative.
Alongside that effort, Guzman said Cook Children’s will continue to address patient needs, both physical and mental, even after release from the emergency room.
My Health My Resources of Tarrant County provides mental health services for children and adults throughout Tarrant County. Residents can call or text the ICARE Crisis Line at (800) 866-2465.
Catherine Carlton, MHMR chief of staff, encouraged residents to call if they have been impacted by gun violence, or if their mental health is struggling in any way.
“We’re here to help 24 hours a day. If you have concerns, if you are needing connection to resources, let us help you. Call us,” Carlton said.
Services MHMR provides include counseling, psychiatry, medication management and case management, among others.
Guzman sees Cook Children’s and other organizations, like MHMR, as a starting point for dealing with gun violence.
“It takes a village, right?” Guzman said. “This is the initial point of talking about what we can provide and what the community needs.”
Fort Worth Report journalists Rachel Behrndt and Marcela Sanchez contributed to this report.
Matthew Sgroi is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
