December 3, 2014 - Mayor Madeline Rogero issued this statement this afternoon about the school bus crash in East Knoxville and the response to it:

"My heart is broken for those who lost beloved children, family members and friends in the terrible school bus accident Tuesday afternoon. No words can express the sorrow and pain of those losses, or the grief and sympathy that we feel as a community.

I want to thank emergency personnel from the Knoxville Police Department, the Fire Department, Rural/Metro, the Sheriff's Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, UT Medical Center, Children's Hospital, Knox County School security, E-911, Knoxville Area Transit and TDOT for their swift and caring response to this tragedy. Thanks also to all of the school employees who rushed to help along with people from the local community and local businesses, including the folks at Subway who provided food to those working the investigation. I know this has been very difficult for all of them, and I know they appreciate the outpouring of compassion and support from across Knox County and across the nation.

The children, families, teachers and staff of Sunnyview Primary and Chilhowee Intermediate schools are in all of our thoughts and prayers."