Katina Harris, President of the Richmond Education Association, issued the following statement after the shooting outside the Altria Theater at Huguenot High School’s graduation in Richmond, Virginia, late this afternoon:

“The members of the Richmond Education Association are shocked and saddened that we must respond to another school shooting here in Virginia, this one in our back yard. The chaos and mayhem witnessed tonight stood in stark contrast to the celebrations happening just seconds before. Our hearts are with the entire Richmond school community, from our students and their families, to the educators in our schools, to our school board members and administration. Classrooms and campuses should be safe havens where students, educators and all in our communities feel welcomed and where learning is celebrated. REA is committed to working with the Richmond Public Schools to find solutions that help us all heal from this tragedy and ensure this never happens again in our city.”