6-year-old boy who shot first-grade teacher has ‘acute disability’

The family of a 6-year-old boy who shot and wounded his teacher in Virginia said Thursday that the gun he used had been “secured” and that a parent used to accompany him to class, but not the week the shooting occurred.

The boy, who has not been identified, shot his teacher Abby Zwerner at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News on January 6. He had just finished reading a story and was about to head off to an art lesson when the young man pulled out his gun and fired. hers.

The family’s statement was issued by a lawyer and did not elaborate on where the 9mm pistol was kept. The family was also not identified.

“Our family has always been committed to responsible gun ownership and keeping firearms out of the reach of children,” the statement said. The firearm our son accessed was insured.

The family also said that the boy “suffers from acute disability and was under a plan of care at school that included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day.”

The family said the week of the shooting “was the first week we weren’t in class with him. We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives.’

The statement was issued through the office of Newport News attorney James S. Ellenson. It is the first public communication from the boy’s family and comes nearly two weeks after the January 6 shooting at Richneck Elementary.

Police previously said the 6-year-old’s mother bought the gun legally, but it was unclear how her son got access to it. A Virginia law prohibits leaving a loaded gun where it is accessible to a child under the age of 14, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a $2,500 fine.

On Thursday, a Riverside Regional Medical Center spokesperson said Zwerner had been released from the hospital earlier this week.

The statement read: ‘(Zwerner) is continuing her recovery as an outpatient with the support of family, friends and healthcare professionals. The Zwerner family respectfully requests privacy during this time.

Following the statement from the 6-year-old’s family, a former Newport News Public Schools psychologist said CURLY that warning signs among students with “explosive behaviors” were regularly ignored.

The psychologist told the station: “These problems had persisted and escalated to the point of endangering a teacher.”

He added: “Problems are swept under the rug because it’s easier to think there’s no problem when there is a problem that needs to be addressed.”

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe Page created for Zwerner by his twin sister, who is also a teacher, has raised $224,000.

This week, the page received a donation of nearly $7,000 from the activist group Teaching for Change, whose motto is: ‘Building social justice, starting in the classroom.’

the daily press in Virginia reports that Richneck Elementary will be closed next week. The newspaper said school administrators are working to ensure the school has a full-time security guard, metal detectors and a fully staffed office.

The tentative reopening date for the school is January 25. Students may be required to have clear backpacks in the future.

At a school board meeting Tuesday that was open to the public, the mother of one of the students who was in the classroom when the shooting occurred, Desiree Yvette, said her daughter is traumatized after the shooting.

Yvette said: “She’s 6 years old, she’s terrified because the person defending her was hurt.”

In an interview with 13News Now, Yvette added: “I was afraid that one of the children had witnessed this, but I was more afraid that my daughter was witnessing this.”

The mother referred to Zwerner as a ‘hero’ for his actions.

She continued: ‘She has always said that those are her children. It was heartbreaking and it was the bravest thing I’ve ever heard. She is honestly an earth angel. She is the kindest person. She is very supportive of her students.’

No charges have been filed against the mother, but the investigation continues, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said during one of two Facebook Live chats he held with the community Wednesday.

During the first talk, the boss was asked at least twice if the child’s parents would be responsible or if the mother would be accused. Drew responded by saying that he wanted to make sure detectives could conduct a thorough investigation.

“I’m not going to rush them,” Drew said. His department has a great relationship with local prosecutors, he said, and has “tremendous faith” that they “will make the right decision based on the evidence in front of them.”

Investigators are almost done interviewing the children who were in the classroom, Drew said, and police are working with a psychologist to talk to them about what they saw.

“This is an unprecedented incident that we have had in our city, where a 6-year-old boy obtained a firearm, brought it to school, pointed it, shot, and shot his teacher in front of other students,” said the chief. ‘I have a young teacher who suffered a gunshot wound while she was teaching in her classroom. By the grace of God, she is still with us today.’

The statement from the boy’s family also gave more details about the boy’s relationship with his teacher, who is still recovering from his gunshot wound and has been called a hero by police and educators alike.

“Our hearts go out to our son’s teacher and we pray for her healing after such an unimaginable tragedy as she selflessly served our son and the children at school,” the family said.

“She has worked diligently and compassionately to support our family as we searched for the best education and learning environment for our son,” the statement continued. ‘We thank her for her courage, grace and sacrifice. We grieve along with all other teachers, families, and administrators at how this horrific incident has impacted them, our community, and the nation.”

The family said the boy has been under hospital care since the shooting and is receiving “the treatment he needs.”

“We continue to pray for the full recovery of her teacher and for her loved ones who are no doubt upset and concerned,” the family said. “At the same time, we love our son and ask that you include him and our family in his prayers.”

The shooting occurred when Zwerner was teaching his first grade class at Richneck. Authorities said there was no warning or struggle before the boy pointed the gun at Zwerner. The bullet passed through his hand and struck his chest, police said. the 25 year old She led her students out of the classroom before being rushed to the hospital.

Drew, the police chief, described the shooting as “intentional.” A judge will determine what is next for the child.

The Newport News schools superintendent revealed last week that Richneck administrators had learned the boy may have had a gun before the shooting. but a search she did not find the firearm, despite staff searching her bag.

The revelation fueled outrage among parents and particularly among teachers. Many criticized school system administrators at a school board meeting Tuesday night for what they called a misguided emphasis on attendance and other educational statistics over the safety of children and staff.