Posttraumatic stress disorder in survivors of the Brooklyn Bridge shooting

OBJECTIVE: The authors documented the frequency of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in civilian victims of urban terrorism. METHOD: A recent shooting attack on a van of Hasidic students provided a unique opportunity to document responses of survivors in this targeted group. Eleven of 14 survivors were compared with age-matched subjects on a variety of questionnaires and clinical evaluations. RESULTS: Of the 11 survivors, four were diagnosed with PTSD (all of whom also had concurrent major depressive disorder), one with major depressive disorder, and two with adjustment disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Findings are interpreted in the context of unique factors contributing to the heightened vulnerability of this group.