Virginia school officials warned 6-year-old had a weapon prior to shooting, officials say
Rachel Schilke
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School officials were warned that a 6-year-old student who shot his teacher may have had a weapon in his backpack prior to the shooting in a Newport News, Virginia, classroom.
The student is accused of intentionally shooting his first-grade teacher, Abigail Zwerner, 25, on Jan. 6 at Richneck Elementary School. The child shot her with a legally purchased gun his mother bought and kept in their home.
Superintendent George Parker said during a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday night that the boy’s backpack was searched after he arrived late on the day of the shooting. School officials said someone reported he may have a weapon, according to parents at the town hall, per 13News Now.
However, no weapon in the backpack was found, Parker said, and a few hours later, Zwerner was shot. Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said Zwerner was shot once through the side of her hand into her upper chest with a 9 mm firearm. No interaction occurred between the student and the teacher to cause the shooting.
Zwerner has been hailed a “hero” by her school and Drew after she made sure to get the rest of her class to safety before seeking medical aid.
“I believe she did save lives because I don’t know what else might have happened if those kids would have stayed in the room,” Drew said on Monday night.
Parents learned on Thursday night that their students’ return to class is undetermined. During this time, the school administrators are working to install metal detectors and other safety precautions, according to School Board Chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law.
The school has obtained 90 detectors through repurposing and attaining school funds, she announced.
Surles-Law said metal detectors would be installed first at Richneck Elementary and then in every school in the district. All students, faculty, and staff will have to walk through the detectors.
“The time is now. The time is now to put metal detectors in all of our schools,” Surles-Law said during a press conference on Thursday.
Parents, while looking forward to the changes, expressed their frustration and anger that it happened in the first place.
“Quite frankly, this should have started happening after one of the two shootings we had last school year,” parent Amanda D’onofrio said to 13News Now.
This was in reference to the two shootings in 2021, one at Heritage High School, where two students were injured, and another outside Menchville High School, where a student from a different high school was killed.
Officials have not seen or found a gun in their schools since the Heritage High School shooting, Surles-Law said.
“However, when one shows up, we have to make a change,” Surles-Law said.
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Despite police taking the child into custody, no charges have been filed against the 6-year-old or any family members. The child was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment, Drew said, and he is under a temporary detention order.
Drew said once the investigation is complete and information is obtained from the state’s human services and child protective services, as well as child psychologists, police will confer with the district attorney to determine how or if to levy charges.