Resources for the families and survivors of the Sandy, Oregon mass shooting on May 31, 2026

The family mass shooting in Sandy, Oregon, has left us devastated by the tragic loss of life and the profound impact this violence will have on the entire community.

Those killed were Jenna Mary Overson, 37; her mother, Mary Beth Overson, 70; and Kobyn McClure, 16, a neighbor who was fatally shot while attempting to protect Jenna’s three young children from their armed father. Sandy Police Sergeant Garrett Thornton was shot multiple times but is expected to recover. Court documents including that the shooter “used people as human shields/hostages” during the standoff. (Portland Tribune, June 1, 2026)

As Sandy and the state mourn this tragedy, our hearts are with the families, friends, neighbors, first responders, police, and all those whose lives have been forever changed by this act of violence.

A significant connection exists between domestic violence and child abuse and domestic violence. A child whose parent has been killed or injured might also have been abused, compounding their trauma. According to UMass Chan Medical School, 40–60% of families who present with partner violence also report child abuse.

In the wake of violence, no one should have to navigate grief and recovery alone. The Ceasefire Oregon Education Foundation (COEF) provides the resources below to help families and survivors in Sandy and throughout Oregon find support, services, and hope in the days ahead. All sources are from The Dougy Center or the National Child Traumatic Stress Network unless otherwise stated.

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For Children and Teens:

Children who witnessed violence are at elevated risk for:

• PTSD
• Traumatic grief
• Anxiety disorders
• Sleep disturbances
• Survivor guilt
• School difficulties

What the research says children need most

The research on children exposed to domestic violence and traumatic loss is surprisingly consistent. Children benefit most from adults who tell the truth in age-appropriate language. Kids usually do better when they receive honest information rather than vague euphemisms. Mental health experts generally recommend simple, factual explanations rather than avoiding the topic altogether.

• “Something very sad has happened. Your dad shot your mom with a gun. She was hurt very badly and died.”
• “You heard sirens and gunshots today and something very sad happened. Your friend, _____, was badly injured and died.”
• The Dougy Center has a very helpful sheet that explains how children understand death at different ages.

Reassure repeatedly. Children often need to hear the same messages dozens or hundreds of times:

• Ask the children what would make them feel safe.
• Tell the children this was not their fault.
• The children did nothing to cause it.
• The children are allowed to talk about what happened and share their feelings.
• It’s okay to have mixed or complicated feelings about the person who caused the violence.
• The children could not have done anything to stop the violence.
• The responsibility for the violence lies with the person who perpetrated the violence.

Allow repeated storytelling

Children frequently retell traumatic events over and over. Adults sometimes worry this is harmful, but for many children it is part of how they make sense of what happened. Trauma specialists often encourage listening without forcing discussion.  

Maintain routines

Regular meals, school attendance, bedtime rituals, sports, clubs, and familiar adults help restore a sense of predictability and safety.  

Recommended books for children

Recommended books for teens (12–18)

Many teens will not respond well to books that feel like “therapy books” but they often engage more readily with books that explain trauma, grief, and recovery in a straightforward way.

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For Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Other Caregivers

Research consistently finds that the strongest predictor of recovery is often not the severity of the event itself, but whether children have at least one stable, caring, emotionally available adult afterward. But often, these adult caregivers simultaneously experience three crises: their own grief, emergency parenting responsibilities, and the trauma symptoms of the children.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network provides guidance for caregivers, teachers, and mental health professionals in their fact sheet, Complex Trauma: Facts for Caregivers and What is Complex Trauma: A Resource Guide for Youth and Those Who Care About Them.

The National Alliance for Children’s Grief is a national organization of professionals dedicated to supporting children and the networks and communities surrounding them.

Recommended Reading

Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced Trauma, Dan Hughes and Jonathan Baylin

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For Schools, Teachers, and Coaches

Many educators understandably feel unprepared when a student dies. Teachers should acknowledge the loss while avoiding pressure on students to discuss the event or participate in memorial activities. Every student grieves differently, and schools should provide space for a range of responses and coping styles.

Resources

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

• Psychological First Aid for Schools
• Childhood Traumatic Grief materials

Important School Guidance

Teachers should avoid forcing students to discuss the loss, requiring participation in memorial activities, or assuming that all students will grieve in the same way. Instead, educators can support students by offering choices, maintaining familiar routines whenever possible, providing flexibility for individual needs, and checking in privately with students who may be struggling. These approaches help create a supportive environment that respects the many different ways children and teens process grief.

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A Community Resource Packet

Children who witness the homicide of a parent, grandparent, or friend experience a bereavement that is different from ordinary bereavement. Experts describe this as traumatic grief, a grief which is complicated by exposure to violence, fear, and worry about safety. These children often face a unique challenge: they may love both the victim and the perpetrator. Researchers and clinicians increasingly stress that children need space to express complicated feelings without being judged for them. A child can grieve a murdered parent while simultaneously missing or loving the parent who committed the violence. Supporting those conflicting emotions is often an important part of recovery.  

Dougy Center in the Portland area and online

The Dougy Center, Portland, Oregon has multilingual resources to support young kids, older kids, teens, young adults, parents, teachers, coaches, neighbors and caregivers after a violent death You can also find Information to learn to support children and teens through funerals.

NAMI Immediate Support / Someone to listen or talk to

NAMI Support during business hours

• Clackamas County Walk-In Mental Health Center, 11211 SE 82nd Ave., Suite O, Happy Valley, OR, Monday–Friday, 9 AM–7 PM
• NAMI Clackamas, info@namicc.org, 503-344-5050. They answer the phone and return calls/emails Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM, and can connect you to any community resource, including their support groups.
• NAMI Multnomah, info@namimultnomah.org, 503-228-5692. We will return your call or email within 1-2 days, 9 AM – 8 PM, 7 days a week, and connect you to any community resource, including one of our support groups. 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network includes Childhood Traumatic Grief Resources, Children and Domestic Violence fact sheets (How Domestic Violence Impacts Children) and information about Trauma Informed Care. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network emphasizes that children recover best when caring adults provide consistent support, honest information, opportunities to ask questions, and a sense of safety.

The Survivors Empowered Toolkit provides free, online resources to help survivors navigate the aftermath of mass violence.

The Crisis Management Institute offers a parent resource website with activities, conversation starters, and guidance for helping children cope with anxiety and trauma. The Institute’s recommendations for talking with children after a traumatic event can also be adapted for use by teachers and other caring adults.

Explaining Homicide to Children from Our House Grief Support Center. This resource discusses how children process a death caused by violence and homicide, common fears children experience afterward, and guidance for caregivers on talking honestly and developmentally appropriately about what happened.

The Child Witness to Violence Project (CWVP) at Boston Medical Center and UMass Medical Center provide helpful, evidence-based information to understand trauma and exposure to violence in children.

COEF is grateful to Ruth Zakarin, CEO of Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, and former advocate for survivors of domestic violence and children impacted by domestic violence homicide for sharing information.

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Scientific Literature

1. Cohen, Mannarino & Deblinger — Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
2. Vickerman & Margolin (2007) on PTSD after family violence.
3. NCTSN’s Childhood Traumatic Grief treatment materials.
4. The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk

What to say to survivors…

• “I’m so sorry this happened.”
• “I’m here for you — whatever you need.”
• “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”
• “There’s no right way to feel right now.”

Sometimes, words just are not enough but don’t ignore the loss or what happened.

What not to say to survivors…

• “Everything happens for a reason.”
• “They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
• Don’t compare their loss to your loss.
• “I know how you feel.”
• “You need to be strong.”