Tennessee public figures and beyond are sharing statements of support and condolences following a mass shooting at a Nashville private school.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee issued a statement, saying he is "closely monitoring" the situation.

Mayor John Cooper stated via Twitter:

In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting.

My heart goes out to the families of the victims. Our entire city stands with you.

As facts continue to emerge, I thank our first responders and medical professionals.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement on the shooting, saying President Joe Biden is aware of the shooting and working with the Department of Justice.

We need to do something. Once again, the president calls on Congress to do something before another child is senselessly killed in a preventable act of gun violence. Again, we need to do something.

Metro Nashville Public Schools Director Dr. Adrienne Battle issued the following statement on the shooting:

As a parent, as an educator, as a human being, I’m grieving today over the tragic murder of children and school staff right here in our community. My heart goes out to the entire Covenant School community and the parents grieving the unimaginable loss of life today.

We have been in close contact with the MNPD throughout the day, and we are providing whatever support we can to assist in their response. This is a traumatic event for the entire community, and our student support services team will be working to help our students and staff process this situation in the days to come.

We don’t know all of the details of how or why this happened, and we may never fully know. At Metro Schools, we have invested considerable resources to strengthen security at our facilities in response to the far too many, far too often instances of school shootings across the nation over the years. We will continue to reinforce our safety protocols and monitor and follow best practices on keeping students safe from harm.

First Lady Jill Biden also gave her condolences to the Nashville community on social media.

Others issuing statements include lawmakers for Tennessee and those in the Nashville community.

Senator Marsha Blackburn:

Chuck & I are heartbroken to hear about the shooting at Covenant School in Nashville.

My office is in contact with federal, state, & local officials, & we stand ready to assist.

Thank you to the first responders working on site. Please join us in prayer for those affected.

Metro Nashville Councilman and Mayoral Candidate Freddie O'Connell:

Nashville has, sadly, today joined the communities that have experienced a school shooting. For now, my focus is turning to supporting the impacted families and revisiting our efforts to prevent these horrifying scenarios.

Tennessee Titans:

Rutherford County Schools:

We have learned of the tragic shooting that occurred at a school in Nashville this morning. Like everyone, we are waiting for all the facts. We have received some media inquiries about whether the situation will affect our school operations today. However, our schools are already closed this week for spring break. We haven’t been asked for assistance from the Nashville school or its community, but we would be happy to help if there is any thing we can do.

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords:

I am devastated and angry. At least three innocent children and three adults lost their lives to another incident of senseless gun violence. Countless people, including young kids, will be left traumatized by this tragedy. No parent, student, or teacher should live in fear of a mass murder at school. Enough is enough. Our leaders need to act. We stand with the Nashville community and remain committed to fighting gun violence. We owe it to our children and future generations.

Tennessee Highway Patrol:

The Southern Christian Coalition:

We are devastated by the death of 3 children and 3 teachers at Covenant School in Nashville. We are praying for the families and community of the school and all of their loved ones. This situation is a horrific tragedy and the worst nightmare of every parent and teacher.

As pastors we have been speaking out against the loosening of gun safety legislation for years because we see the direct connection between tragic gun violence and the lack of common sense laws. While today we pray and we grieve, we know that prayers are not enough and we will continue to demand policy that prioritizes the safety of students. Our children, across race, place, and background have invaluable worth and it's past time to demand what our families need so that every child in every corner of our state has the freedom to thrive and pursue their dreams, no exceptions.

Rep. Mark Green:

Camie and I join Tennesseans in prayer for The Covenant School community. Our hearts are heavy with this senseless loss of life. While we await supplemental information from first responders, we pray for each student and member of the faculty and staff at The Covenant School. We also pray for the loved ones of the three students and three adults who lost their lives. No family should ever have to endure this. Right now, the most powerful message we can send is that we are a state that grieves together and stands together. Thank you to all first responders working on site and the medical teams at Vanderbilt.

Statement from the Diocese of Nashville:

“The news of the shooting and loss of lives at The Covenant School this morning is deeply sad and shocking. said Brian L. Cooper, Chancellor and chief operating officer of the Diocese of Nashville. “It is a painful reminder that these horrific events can happen at any time. Our own city is not immune to this violence. Across Middle Tennessee, our churches and schools continue to be vigilant as we focus on the safety and security of parishioners, students, faculty, and staff. It is a top priority.” Cooper continues, “Within the last five years, the diocese has conducted multiple comprehensive security reviews of each school and adjacent parish grounds. We have taken significant steps to continually enhance the security of our facilities in cooperation with parish leaders.”

“We have in place mandatory training for our faculty, staff, and administration. This was established several years ago,” said Dr. Rebecca Hammel, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Nashville. “This training accompanies annual site and safety protocol reviews and regular safety drills conducted with staff and students in our schools.” Hammel adds, “We will look for opportunities to strengthen our safety protocols as we learn from the ongoing police investigation of this sad incident.”

NAACP Nashville Branch statement:

“Today, the Nashville NAACP Branch mourns the loss of the seven individuals who lost their lives at the Covenant School earlier this morning. Our children deserve a safe environment to grow and learn, free from the threat of violence, death, and tragedy. What is most disturbing about the prevalence of these tragedies is that they are preventable, and our leaders are missing in action. Let me be clear - the second amendment does not guarantee the right to possess military-grade weapons. We need a national ban on assault weapons now. If Congress will not pass the commonsense gun reform legislation necessary to ensure that parents no longer have to fear sending their children to school, then it is up to our leaders in the Tennessee General Assembly to do the right thing. We have the knowledge and tools to ensure that mass tragedy and grief are sorrows of the past, but we need elected leaders who are willing to learn from, not repeat the same mistakes. Our hearts and minds are with the families of the courageous Tennesseans we lost today. We will not stop fighting for justice for them and their loved ones.”

Statement from the Libertarian Party of Tennessee:

We at the Libertarian Party Of Tennessee, stand with the victims and families of those at the Covenant School today as they face the unthinkable tragedy of losing a child, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or parent. We know that tragedies like these like to be put at the forefront of all political conversations, and are used to further a political agenda. Usually, we say it’s too early to talk about solutions to this until every single fact comes out. But, both sides have made it clear that while families are still grieving, and everyone is still emotional, that we should talk about solutions before we all know all the facts. Facts like; is the school a gun free zone? Is there armed security on-site? How did she obtain the weapons? Were they stolen? Were they purchased legally? Were they purchased on the black market? How did she get into the building? Was she known by the FBI? All of these questions need to be answered before we make a fair and honest statement regarding today’s abhorrent tragedy. We do not hold the actions of the individual to an identified demographic in any instance in any case. We will be looking into what we can do for the Covenant School community to help ease the pain, if possible, of today’s unthinkable tragedy.

Woodmont Baptist Church:

I wanted to reach out to say that you are loved. I am really struggling for words, but I want you all to know that you are loved by your church staff, your fellow church members, and, most of all, by the high and holy God of all creation. May that love be of comfort to you all in this difficult time.

It has been a hard day. We are sad. Sad for the families who came rushing to our church. Sad for those whose lives will never be the same because of the trauma inflicted on them. Sad because we live in a world broken by sin, suffering, and death.

In this midst of this sadness, it has been amazing to see how the body of Christ has come together to be His hands and feet. I could not be more proud of our selfless staff and the way that they have all served. Church members, neighbors, lay leaders, deacons, etc. all showed up today to simply hand out water or show people to restrooms or offer a compassionate countenance. The prayers of the saints of this community were palpably felt in our church today.

When the police asked me where to send the parents, I thought about what the word “sanctuary” means. A sanctuary is a holy place, but it is also a place of refuge and safety. I told the police that I believed that our sanctuary would be a good place, and it was.

I want to share a story with you. When the news began to break about the shooting, our staff began to send information via text. Beth Howe found a Twitter thread that listed our church as the reunification site. None of us had been made aware of that, but our staff leapt into action and did not stop until families had left the building many hours later. All day long, I thought about how we came to be the reunification site. I asked the police in charge, and they had no answers. Finally, late in the afternoon, an older gentleman approached me with his hand out. He said, “I am the Facility Director at Covenant. And when they asked me where to send these kids, I said, ‘Woodmont Baptist Church.’”

I told him we were honored, of course, and asked him why he told administrators and first responders to come here. He said, “I’ve been driving by that church for 18 years, and I knew it was a good church. I see the work you’re doing, and I knew you were a good church.”

I am grateful for the reputation that our church has gained as a “good church” in our community. I am grateful that the Lord saw fit to use our church as a sanctuary today. I’m grateful to be on this journey with you all, even when the road is rocky. I am grateful, most of all, for the hope we have through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior through whom all things are being made new. Even typing that feels difficult in this moment, but the promises are true. Let’s continue to hold out “the life and light of all mankind” (John 1:4) to a world that desperately needs it.

Nashville Sheriff:

Download the FREE FOX 17 News app to get push alerts sent to your iPhone, iPad or Android.