Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key opened his Wednesday media availability with an impassioned plea for something to change in the wake of Monday’s shooting at a private Christian elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, that claimed the lives of 6 people, including 3 9-year-old children.

Key told reporters first he didn’t want to make any political or religious statements, but he felt compelled to say something. His mother, he said, was an elementary school teacher during her career. Key and his wife Danielle also have a 4-year-old daughter. The news on Monday hit home.

“There’s nothing political and there’s nothing religious made about this but something has to change and I had a chance to stand up here and be in front of a camera and if 1 person hears me say that and agrees and does something to help force a change, something to happen, and a 1,000 other people say something negative about it, I don’t care. Because it worked,” Key said. “And if this one thing I say can help somebody else say something and have the guts to stand up and say something, and maybe give somebody the guts to stand up and do something then maybe something will happen.”

Key kept from advocating for a specific stance on how to address the issue, but he pleaded that something more needs to be done. According to reporting from The Associated Press, Monday’s shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville was the 7th mass shooting of 4 or more people at grade schools throughout the United States since 2012.

“As long as people sit up there and bicker and argue, more and more kids are going to die,” Key said. “Because it hasn’t changed. Something’s got to change. Everybody, please do something. … Let’s all do something together to help.

“It’s the most heartbreaking thing in the world to think about your daughter going to school,” Key said as he tried to contain his emotions. “She’s supposed to be safe and protected. This is (expletive), man. It is. I’m sorry.”