Overview

• Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said NIH will study whether SSRIs and other psychiatric drugs might contribute to violence, offering no details on scope, methods, or timeline.
• Minneapolis authorities have not indicated that the shooter, Robin Westman, was taking antidepressants or transition-related medications.
• Psychiatrists and public-health researchers cited across reports say existing evidence does not show SSRIs cause mass shootings, and note homicidal ideation is not a current boxed warning on SSRIs.
• Sen. Tina Smith condemned Kennedy’s comments and urged his removal, while Vice President JD Vance highlighted a broader mental-health crisis in remarks about the attack.
• The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School killed two children and injured at least 17 others, renewing disputes over whether policy should prioritize access to firearms or mental-health factors.