On December 13, 2025, a shooting at Brown University claimed the lives of two students and left nine other students injured, with some victims in critical but stable condition. This marks the 75th school shooting incident and the 43rd shooting at a university this year alone. We mourn for the lives lost and extend our support to the victims affected by this tragedy. 

National APAMSA strongly denounces all gun violence and remains steadfast in our commitment and desire for comprehensive federal, state, and municipal gun control policies as mentioned in our previous statements and in our policy compendium. We, at APAMSA, recognize gun violence as a preventable health crisis and urge legislators to institute stricter gun control measures. 

Measures such as standardizing and closing loopholes in background checks for firearms and increasing funding for mental health programs can be implemented to address root causes of gun violence. Although the 2023 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act has stipulated over $1 billion for improving student mental health, recent administration changes have greatly reduced how that money gets dispersed, denying much-needed mental health professional development grants for colleges and universities. Like disease management, we urge policymakers to focus on evidence-based approaches that have been shown to reduce deaths from gun violence

In the wake of this recent act of violence, many students may be experiencing fear, grief, numbness, or distress. These reactions are normal, and you do not have to navigate them alone. Support is available both on campus and through culturally affirming, confidential resources listed below.

For Brown University Students:

Brown University Emergency Services 
  • Mental Health Crisis Stabilization Services: 401-863-3476
  • Public Safety Management: 401-863-4111
  • Administrator On Call (AOC): 401-863-3322
Brown University Student Services  
  • Counseling And Psychological Services (CAPS): 401-863-3476
    • Free virtual care services for all currently enrolled students 
  • BWell (Brown Wellness): Online appointment here
    • A confidential campus resource for students offering wellness check-ins, trauma-informed support, and help navigating care options after distressing events.
  • TimelyCare: More information here
    • Brown has partnered with TimelyCare to provide free therapy services to actively enrolled students
    • Free access up to 12 teletherapy sessions per year & unlimited access to a library of wellness videos
  • Chaplain & Spiritual Support: More information here
    • Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life (OCRL) aims to make available pastoral care and advice for students, staff, faculty, and alumni
  • Bereavement Group
    • When: Mondays @ 7:30PM 
    • Where: Room 411 of Page-Robinson
  • Student Support Services (SSS): More information here
    • Contact for either oneself or one’s peers to access collaborative assistance between University staff and the community to provide thoughtful individualized support during complex factors contributing to a student’s distress.

City of Providence Resources 

  • Family Service RI Crisis Line: 401-854-6678 
    • Offers counseling and support services for anyone in the community. 
    • Available for home visits or virtual counseling
  • United Way of Rhode Island 2-1-1: Call 2-1-1
    • Free and confidential information on mental and physical healthcare, housing, food, and emergency services available in the area
    • Open 24/7/365

24/7 Emergency Hotlines 

Key reminder: If someone is in immediate danger or talking about harming themselves or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

  • National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.): Call or text 988 for trained crisis counselors
  • Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs” to 66746 
    • Immediate emotional support after trauma/violent events
  • Asian LifeNet Hotline: 1-877-990-8585 
    • A free, 24/7 hotline for those in distress. Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Japanese, Fujianese offered
  • Trevor LifeLine: 1-866-488-7386
    • Confidential crisis intervention and suicide prevention aimed for LGBTQ+

Counseling & Support Services 

General AANHPI Mental Health Counseling Resources

AANHPI X LGBTQ+ Mental Health Resources

Self-Care Resources

For a more extensive list, please visit https://www.apamsa.org/mental-health-initiative/ and look under Mental Health Resources. 

Please feel free to reach out to mentalhealth@apamsa.org if you would like to talk and we will work together on how APAMSA can best support you and your chapter. 

Authors: David Kim, Mia Park, Brian Leung

Signed: Region I Director, Brian Vu and Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University APAMSA Chapter Co-Presidents, Jerome Dovan and Sophia Dutton

For questions regarding this statement, please reach out to Brian Leung at rapidresponse@apamsa.org.
For local support, please contact the Region I Directors, Brian Vu and Stephanie Lam, at region1@apamsa.org