Washington, DC, March 27, 2023  – The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) expresses deep sadness regarding the recent tragic school shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the victims, children, families, and entire school community affected by this horrific act of violence.

As details of the event continue to emerge, it is evident that we need to do better for our nation's children. We are outraged and saddened by the depraved and senseless act of violence that took many innocent lives and impacted many more. We mourn with the Nashville community and all those affected by this tragedy, as well as with other communities that have experienced similar tragedies.

As a medical association dedicated to protecting the health of children everywhere, AACAP joins millions of Americans in demanding strong measures to safeguard our communities from the growing epidemic of gun violence. We must protect our nation’s children and resolve to end this senseless violence. We must do more.

We recognize that this is a challenging time for everyone, and we are committed to providing support to the school community as they recover from this tragedy. We urge everyone to come together and support one another as we work through this difficult time.

Let us honor the victims of this tragedy by taking action now and working towards a future where our children can go to school without fear.

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The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry promotes the healthy development of children, adolescents, and families through advocacy, education, and research. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are the leading physician authority on children’s mental health. For more information, please visit www.aacap.org