Indy establishes a new website to assist thousands of victims of gun violence

Indianapolis, Indiana – In Indianapolis, three individuals are often shot each day. 675 non-fatal shooting victims were reported in 2021, and 578 more were reported the previous year.

In addition to homicides, more than a thousand individuals are shot in Indianapolis each year either die or are injured.

Because of this, the city has developed a new website that serves as a one-stop shop for resources related to gun violence.

The website IndyNFSResources.com is made to make it simple for all of those families and more to obtain resources that will aid in their recovery.

An Indianapolis trauma response team contacts the victims and their families to offer support following every shooting.

“You know what we’re learning is right after the shooting they’re not always up to hearing about resources. They’re just trying to process what happened,” said DeAndra Dycus, who manages the city’s non-fatal advocacy support program.

While Indianapolis will continue to speak with victims personally, they will also point them toward the website, which provides details on a variety of topics, including medical assistance, connections for mental health professionals, and much more.

“A lot of times people don’t know where to look. You know when you’re injured, life can change in an instant on so many levels,” said Dycus.

“The goal of the website and where we hope it helps is making the journey after surviving the injury a little bit easier,” said IUPUI Professor Lauren Magee.

IUPUI professor Lauren Magee contributed to the creation of the website and will maintain it with the aid of a graduate student. The website includes details on domestic abuse, travel, housing, and even the secure storage of weapons as part of its effort to reduce violence.

“Let’s see if we can add resources before they become a victim, but if they are a victim, we also have these resources on the back end,” said Magee.

“When my son was shot nine years ago, I didn’t know where to start or where to begin,” said Dycus.

A stray gunshot that was fired into a home in 2014 during a birthday party disabled DeAndra’s son, who was 13 at the time.

She knows firsthand how the new website will benefit families like hers, which is why she thinks it will.

“It can be very traumatizing calling 15-16 numbers trying to get through. I definitely have experienced that,” said Dycus.

The website is still under construction. The site will be updated each month and the organizers are still working to expand their list of resources.