A NEIGHBORHOOD HEALS : COUNSELORS COMFORT COMMUNITY'S FEARS.

Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer

Frankie Gottlieb's 6-year-old daughter covers her head and shrieks whenever she hears a helicopter. It reminds her of police and news helicopters converging at last Friday's North Hollywood shootout.

John and Teresa Muscarella's five children seem fixated on the gunbattle, peppering the couple with nonstop questions about the incident.

Evon Haddad, 35, said the shootout, which left two bank robbers dead and 17 people injured, has left her suffering from nightmares and anxiety attacks.

The North Hollywood residents were among 60 people who attended a two-hour community support meeting Thursday at Victory Elementary School, where the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health offered group counseling sessions.

Members of the Los Angeles Police Department kicked off the session by describing the chain of events that led to the televised killings of suspects Emil Matasareanu, 30, and Larry Eugene Phillips Jr., 26, and encouraging residents to take advantage of the free counseling.

``It's community counseling and care,'' said Capt. Richard Wahler of the North Hollywood Division. ``We're trying to heal the damage to emotions and calm the fears of the community.''

During the meeting, residents described a range of emotions - from nightmares and abdominal pains to headaches and loss of appetite - since the bloody shootout between the suspects and police.

Haddad, who lives within blocks of the shooting scene, offered support and encouragement to other residents at the meeting and urged them to take a stand against crime.

``We don't have to hide out anymore,'' Haddad said. ``I don't have to move out of my apartment. I don't want to move out. I will not let these people move me out of town. This is our community.''

Tracy Fisher, 28, who was shot in the toe Friday as she prepared to run errands, also urged the audience to actively support the police - and each other.

``The healing process starts now. It takes all of us to do this,'' Fisher said. ``I have a voice now and I'm motivated. We should all be motivated, motivated to help each other and motivated to help the Police Department.''

During part of the meeting, residents met with crisis counselors for confidential group sessions.

Counselors tried to focus on the most overlooked victims, children, some of whom were at home on vacation and saw the shootout on television.

``They may have been eyewitnesses to events. They may have watched a lot of TV,'' said Marleen Wong, director of Mental Health and Crisis for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Gottlieb said her daughter becomes upset at the sight of helicopters and fears strange men who resemble last week's bank robbers.

``My daughter wouldn't change into her pajamas. She's afraid to get undressed. She sees a stranger walking down the street and thinks it's a bank robber.''

The Muscarellas said they face a daily barrage of questions from their five children. The couple finally took them to the scene of last week's botched bank robbery to ease their curiosity.

``We saw the bullet holes, we saw where the gloves were. We did a field trip,'' John Muscarella said.

Crisis counselors said such symptoms are normal following a tragedy. They advised victims to return to their normal routines to help them cope with the event.

``The child is looking for normalcy,'' said Frank Alavarez, a licensed clinical social worker with the Mental Health Department. ``That's what children know best. That's what adults know best. We're trying to help people put this into perspective.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1 -- color) North Hollywood resident Evon Haddad is comforted Thursday by crisis counselors Linda Boyd, left, and Dawn Weinberg, center. Haddad says she has suffered nightmares and anxiety attacks since the Feb. 28 shootout in her neighborhood.

(2 -- color) Police Capt. Richard Wahler receives a hug from Tracy Fisher, who was wounded in the robbery attempt.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News