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Tooele County students, staff come together to support those impacted by Grantsville murders

Posted at 5:23 PM, Jan 21, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-22 01:26:38-05

GRANTSVILLE, Utah — It was a somber and quiet day at Grantsville High School Tuesday, as students and staff returned to school following the deadliest shooting in Grantsville's history.

“The students are a little more somber, it’s a little quiet. Not as many kids have attended today, but I’m sure as we progress things will start to normalize and we will move forward as a community," Tooele County School District spokeswoman Marie Denson said.

On Friday, Grantsville police say five people were shot in their home resulting in the death of a woman and three children. A teenage boy is in police custody in connection to the shooting. The suspect's name has not been officially released. All of the victims are part of the Haynie family.

One of the victims, 15-year-old- Alexis Haynie, and the suspected shooter attended Granstville High School, according to Tooele County School District officials. The other children did not attend school within the district.

Yellow ribbons hung from the trees outside the high school to honor Alexis. Yellow was her favorite color. Students were greeted with well wishes as they entered the school. Students from Tooele and Stansbury High Schools spent their long weekend decorating Grantsville High School, Denson said.

“They might be rivals for Grantsville High, but they came and decorated, just saying, 'We stand together and we support you, and we are here for you,'" Denson said. "That was just so impactful."

Eight additional counselors will be at Grantsville High School Tuesday and Wednesday to speak with whoever needs to talk. There are 40 outside counselors available throughout the week to be placed at any school in the Tooele County School District. Counselors will be available as needed, Denson said.

Valley Behavioral Health is offering up counselors to the district and to the community as a whole.

Counseling services have been offered at no cost for those in the community, Mayor Brent Marshall said. Valley Behavioral Health will be in the Grantsville Library Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., and additional dates can be scheduled if necessary.

“People are going to need some help, and its about the community coming together, and our part about helping the community come together," said Dr. Todd Thatcher, the chief medical officer with Valley Behavioral Health. "Human beings are very resilient people, and the prognosis after events like this is actually very good, but we need to get in there early and start helping people process things."

The best thing people can do during a time like this is to talk to someone, Thatcher said.

“People will naturally go through some expected stages of ... disbelief at first, and then shock and possibly some anger, wanting to blame somebody, these type of things," he said. "So, it is important for us to get involved, so that those kind of emotions stay in control and stay productive."

A Utah Valley University spokesperson sent FOX 13 the following statement about an older brother of the family, who was not involved in the incident Friday:

“As a community, we at Utah Valley University express our deepest condolences to Daniel (Danny) Haynie, one of our fellow Wolverines, who experienced unthinkable tragedy last week. We have been in touch with Danny and will support him in any way we can during this difficult time.”