A message regarding yesterday’s school shooting in Texas

My thoughts today are with everyone affected, either directly or indirectly, by the tragedy that unfolded yesterday in Uvalde, Texas. I was immensely saddened to hear of the tragic loss of 21 lives, at the time of writing, 19 of whom were elementary school-aged children, and two adults. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of these individuals, and with the greater Uvalde community.

Here at FAU, these devastating school shootings feel particularly close to home, no matter where they occur. Not only is FAU a higher education institution with A.D. Henderson/FAU High K-12 school on its Boca Raton campus, FAU also is located very close to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where, in 2018, 17 people, including 14 students, lost their lives in a school shooting. Another 17 people there were injured.

Further, yesterday’s events came only 10 days after 10 Black people were killed and three other people were injured at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y., in a racially motivated attack. Also this month, three members of the Asian community in Dallas were targeted at a hair salon, and one person was killed and five others were injured at a church in Southern California that targeted members of the Taiwanese community.

These awful events underscore the importance of providing mental health services and awareness for anyone who feels they need help during these very emotional times.

FAU’s  Counseling and Psychological Services  center is open to all undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The center can be reached at 561-297-2277. Additional resources are available through the  Dean of Students  office.

For faculty and staff, confidential help or guidance is offered via the  Employee Assistance Program  website (Login ID: Florida Atlantic University; Password: EAP) or call 1-800-865-3200.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Resources also are available at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

Please do not hesitate to utilize these resources if help is needed. The health and safety of the entire university community is always paramount, especially during challenging times such as these.