LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville is relying heavily on its faith community this week in the wake of Monday's mass shooting.
A team of chaplains, who have experience dealing with this kind of tragedy, have arrived to help in the city.
The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team goes to communities that are suffering after some kind of event. Often times, that's a natural disaster, but too often lately its because of a mass shooting.
"Monday morning we were in our staff morning and we saw on the news this horrific shooting that took place," Jason Scalzi, with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, said. "That's what we do, we respond to these areas because the world is broken."
The team of chaplains has been set up at the memorial in front of Old National Bank. They also came to the community vigil held Wednesday night at the Muhammad Ali Center.
The group currently in Louisville is specifically made up of chaplains with a law enforcement background. They have spent time visiting with Officer Nickolas Wilt's family at the hospital.
Wilt, who was just sworn in to LMPD days before the shooting, is now fighting for his life and remains in critical condition at University of Louisville Hospital.
"So, they are a family of faith," Scalzi said. "They believe in prayer and we joined with them in praying for Officer Wilt. We spent some time with the officers."
The chaplains organize retreats for officers who are injured in the line of duty. But right now, they're here to offer a listening ear and to offer emotional and spiritual support to the grieving community and law enforcement officers.
The Rapid Response Team was formed after the Sept. 11 attacks and now has 2,500 chaplains that deploy to communities all over the country when a tragedy hits.
To learn more about the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, click here.
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