INDIANAPOLIS — It's National Crime Victims' Rights Week.
IMPD said it is also a reminder of the resources available to families who have lost a loved one to violence.
The department's Victim Assistance Unit is helping them navigate forward.
"Jack was the heart and soul of our family. He was the youngest. He was hilarious, kind," said Cheryl Shockely.
Cheryl Shockley keeps the spirit of her son alive through pictures, conversations, and a nonprofit called Warriors for Peace.
In 2020, Jack was shot and killed as he ate breakfast in his car at the corner of 25th and Emerson. He was 24-years-old.
"We don't know why he was killed because we can't get into the mind of that young man but he was killed for no reason," said Shockley. "He wasn't robbed, there was no exchange of words."
The pain cuts deep.
"The murder of a child is one most child is one of the loneliest, loneliest experiences a person can go through," said Shockley.
The Shockley family finds comfort through IMPD's Victim Assistance Program.
"I really don't know what I would have done emotionally without that," she said.
IMPD's Victim Assistance Unit was the first 24-hour on-call crisis intervention unit within a U.S. law enforcement agency.
Lisa Brown said when it started fifty years ago, the team was mostly making office calls.
Things are different now and so is the demand.
"We go to the scenes of homicides, sexual assaults, robbery, home invasion, any type of trauma. We are helping people in the moment and after the fact," said Brown.
As National Crime Victims' Rights Week continues, Brown wants families to remember.
"Jack was not a statistic. He was your son, and you love him, and we love you," said Brown.
They say if you're struggling, make the call for help.
"You don't have to do it alone. We are here for you," said Shockley.
"During Crime Victims Rights week, it's really important that we take a moment and work with people one on one and remember why we do this. If you are a crime victim we don't want you to go down this road alone. We want to make sure you are getting the assistance you need so we would love for you to reach out to us at 317- 327-3331," said Brown.
The Crime Victim Assistance team is also looking for volunteers.
The department will train people on how to respond to scenes and what to do when you are there.
