After two died during a shooting in Eudora last week, emergency responders are receiving post-trauma care and area organizations are letting the community know how to receive support.
Sheriff Jay Armbrister said there was a gamut of reactions from responders following a standoff that began Thursday night at the home of Benjamin Roy Eaton Jr., 52, and Nicole Felice Eaton, 44. Authorities have said Ben Eaton shot and killed his wife before dying of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Armbrister said some responders were struggling with guilt that they couldn’t get there sooner or have some way to save lives. However, Armbrister said knowing how real the threat was, his office is lucky they got away with no physical injuries.
“Knowing what we know now, which obviously I won’t be able to get into too much details, but we also know how deadly the situation was for us, and we’re now fortunate to realize that we got away without any injuries, much less any deaths from the responders,” he said.
It’s an emotional situation, especially as his office puts the pieces together, he said. The couple’s two daughters are now having to deal with something they never asked for, he said.
Armbrister said over the last few years, his office has invested money into making sure there are adequate mental health resources for first responders.
They try to make sure officers are fed and rotated during the incident itself. If any officers are struggling during the incident, they try to get them switched out and taken care of, he said.
The post-trauma care includes a critical incident debriefing for all those involved. The dispatchers already had their debriefing and the first responders will have theirs Tuesday evening, he said.
The Sheriff’s Office has an employee focused specifically on resourcing for officers’ mental health, he said.
Following a tragedy like this one, Armbrister said providing support is important.
“This was a tragic, tragic situation where one individual took Nicole Eaton’s life, and it has affected many in Eudora and Douglas County but most of all the immediate family, especially their two daughters. The incident should not define the community, and it is important not to speculate on the motives behind the tragedy. Our role is to help their daughters in anything they might need. As a Sheriff’s Office, we have and will continue to do anything to support them and we urge the community to do so as well,“ he said.
The Sheriff’s Office is helping the two daughters put the pieces back together, he said.
“So our focus as a community just needs to be on making sure that they’re taken care of because this is their time of need,” he said. “I mean, they just survived the worst days of their lives.”
Armbrister also noted his office has been working with the daughters since the beginning moments of this incident. He said they have worked closely to be transparent and make sure they know everything that was going on.
The family has created a GoFundMe to help with emergency expenses here.
The Eudora Times reached out to Police Chief Wes Lovett for comment, but he was unavailable Monday.
Alex Mendel, the middle and high school’s DCCCA prevention specialist, is organizing efforts to support law enforcement. The community can sign up for a day to provide snacks/drinks here.
For residents, the Willow Domestic Violence Center is available 24/7 at its hotline at 785-843-3333 to help those who may be struggling.
Adrianne Nuñez, a spokesperson for the center, said the line is available for people to talk about their personal experiences or talk through and process trauma.
A lot of times, after something like this happens, people want to know more and educate others, she said.
Willow offers education and prevention services so people can learn red flags of an abusive relationship, as well as just general healthy relationship practices, she said.
Eudora has its own Willow advocate who can help plan presentations and training related to domestic violence, especially if residents are looking for ways to help, she said.
“We just want people to know what our services are and Eudora is part of our service area, and we have a dedicated rural Douglas County advocate and they spend most of their time in Eudora and Baldwin,” she said.
To sign up for presentations, click here or email [email protected].
More information is available below:
The Rev. Alice Koech of Eudora United Methodist Church said those needing support can visit her at the church this week on Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday morning. She can also be reached at the church number at 785-542-3200 and will return calls when available.
She said even those who are not members of the church can reach out to receive pastoral counseling or just to pray.
“I think one of the things that I want to emphasize is everybody in the community is affected by this and that there’s help and support from me as a pastor and from other pastors in town for people who need to talk or process their feelings,” she said.
Reach reporter Sara Maloney at [email protected].
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