US officials are struggling to understand how a child so young could be involved in a school shooting. Which police say was not accidental. It is a “red flag for the country,” according to the mayor of Newport News, where the incident occurred.
Abby Zwerner, who was shot by a six-year-old student in the United States, is “improving.”
According to police, Ms. Zwerner, in her 30s, was shot in a class by the boy during an altercation on Friday. And the shooting was not an accident.
The incident was referred to as a “red flag for the country” by Phillip Jones. The mayor of Newport News, Virginia, where it occurred.
As she remains hospitalized, he stated that the educator from Richneck Elementary School is “improving.”
In 2020, Ms. Zwerner graduated from James Madison University in Virginia. In a statement, the company’s president expressed “deep sorrow” over the tragic incident, describing it as “an incredibly difficult time.”
Police initially described the teacher’s injuries as “life-threatening”. But a senior officer met with her on Saturday and reported that “her condition has improved and she is currently listed as stable.”
According to Chief Steve Drew, the shooting did not appear to be an accident and only involved one victim. He claimed that the student and teacher had met in a classroom setting.
“We did not have a situation in which someone was circumventing the school shooting,” he told reporters.
He reported that the boy had a handgun in the classroom. And investigators were attempting to determine how he obtained it.
Mr. Jones stated, “After this event, I believe there will be a nationwide discussion on how to prevent incidents of this nature.”
George Parker III, superintendent of public schools in Newport News, exclaimed, “I am amazed, shocked, and disheartened.”
The child is too young to face trial.
On Monday, according to school authorities, there will be no classes at Richneck.
The law of Virginia prohibits the trial of six-year-olds as adults.
A six-year-old is also too young to be placed in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice upon conviction.
However, a juvenile judge could withdraw parental custody and place a child under the supervision of the Department of Social Services.
Mr. Jones would not disclose where the youngster is being detained. But he did say, “We are providing him with all the assistance he requires at this time.”
One irate British mother living in the neighborhood told reporters outside the school that change was necessary.
Let’s take action. Let’s modify it.
“You have a lovely country and attractive people, so what is the issue? Guns! she exclaimed.
I am only in this nation because my spouse is in the military; else, I would not be here.
The number of young children with access to firearms is increasing.
Professor Daniel Webster of Johns Hopkins University, who researches gun violence. Stated that a six-year-old killing a teacher at school was highly unusual.
However, according to his research, young children are increasingly gaining access to loaded firearms. And accidentally shooting themselves or others in homes and other settings.
“Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a six-year-old to acquire access to a loaded gun. And shoot himself or someone else,” he said.
David Riedman, the founder of a database that records school shootings in the United States since 1970. Stated that “the judicial system is not prepared or positioned to deal with” this issue.
In the period he has studied, he is only aware of three prior shootings perpetrated by six-year-old students. A fatal shooting of a classmate in 2000 in Michigan. And gunshots that injured other students in 2011 in Texas and 2021 in Mississippi.
Mr. Riedman stated that he is only aware of one previous incidence of a pupil younger than that inadvertently discharging a firearm at a school. Which occurred in 2013 when a five-year-old took a gun to a Tennessee school and accidentally fired it.
No one was hurt in this incident.
