A 6-year-old student who reportedly fatally shot a Virginia elementary school teacher, Abby Zwerner has been lauded as a hero for telling other kids to run. According to reports from Newport TV, Abby Zwerner was shot by the local news station WTKR on Friday at Richneck Elementary School and was found to have “life-threatening injuries.” teacher. The 30-year-old Ms. Zwerner was sent in critical condition to Riverside Regional Medical Center.
According to a statement given to The Independent by a Newport News police spokesman, the victim was improving and in stable condition as of Saturday afternoon. In an interview with Fox3, Sebastian Gonzalez-Hernandez said that his 6-year-old kid was there in class when the incident occurred and commended Ms. Zwerner for her unselfish deed.
Mr. Gonzalez-Hernandez told Fox3 that after she was shot, “she yelled at her children to run away” and appeared to be more concerned about her students’ safety than her own. He said his son heard the gunshots, turned around and saw Zwerner on the ground, and ran out of the classroom.
Another parent, who did not want to be named, told WTKR she was outraged that a young child would be able to bring a gun to school. The British-accented mother, who said she lives in the US because her husband is in the military, said: “Guns, well, that’s the biggest problem in this country. Why would a seven-year-old hold a gun? A bloody gun?”
Referring to Governor Glenn Youngkin, she added: “Let’s do something. We now have a new governor, let’s do something, let’s change that.” A spokesperson told The Independent, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew met with the victim and his family Saturday morning.
“He asks that you continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers. Due to the ongoing investigation, we will not be releasing any further information at this time.” At a news conference Friday night, Mr. Drew said the shooting took place After a “dispute” between a student and teacher. “This was not an accidental shooting,” he said.
Newport News Public Schools Superintendent George Parker said Friday he was “shocked and dismayed” by the shooting. “We must keep our young people away from guns,” he told a news conference. In a statement, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said his administration stood by the school district. “I will continue to monitor the situation and pray for the continued safety of all students and the community,” he said.
