Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismissed new calls for gun control following a deadly church shooting, instead announcing a federal investigation into the role of psychiatric drugs in mass violence. Labeling the surge in mass shootings a “health crisis,” Kennedy argued the problem stems not from firearms but from deeper mental health issues and overmedication.
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church was carried out by a 23-year-old identifying as transgender. In response, Kennedy challenged the popular narrative that tighter gun laws are the solution, pointing out that firearms have long existed in American culture without such violent consequences. He referenced his own upbringing, recalling a time when students brought rifles to school without incident.
“What changed,” Kennedy said, “is not the guns—it’s something in our society that is altering behavior at a massive scale.” He pointed to psychiatric medications, particularly SSRIs, which carry FDA black-box warnings for suicidal and homicidal ideation. According to Kennedy, the United States is the most overmedicated nation in the world, and that overuse of psychiatric drugs could be contributing to the breakdown in behavior.
The Department of Health and Human Services has launched a review into the potential link between psychiatric medication and violent outbursts. This includes a study of SSRIs and other widely prescribed drugs, as well as environmental and dietary factors. The initiative reflects Kennedy’s long-standing skepticism of pharmaceutical influence and his stated commitment to what he calls “unbiased science.”
Data from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that antidepressant use in the U.S. has risen by nearly 400% since the early 1990s. Despite this surge in treatment, depression rates continue to climb. A Gallup survey from 2023 reported that nearly 29% of American adults had been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives.
Kennedy’s decision to prioritize mental health over gun restrictions marks a significant shift in federal conversation surrounding mass shootings. Critics have called for tighter firearm laws, but Kennedy maintains the evidence demands a closer look at the pharmaceutical and psychological roots of violence.
