Lawyer: Gun used by child who shot teacher was 'secured' - The Associated Press - en Español

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The household of a 6-year-old lad who shot and wounded his teacher successful Virginia said Thursday that the weapon helium utilized had been “secured” and that 1 of his parents usually accompanied him successful people but did not the week the shooting occurred.

The family’s connection was released by an lawyer and did not elaborate further connected wherever the 9mm handgun was kept. The household besides was not identified.

“Our household has ever been committed to liable weapon ownership and keeping firearms retired of the scope of children,” the connection said. “The firearm our lad accessed was secured.”

The household besides said that the lad “suffers from an acute disablement and was nether a attraction program astatine the schoolhouse that included his parent oregon begetter attending schoolhouse with him and accompanying him to people each day.”

The household said the week of the shooting “was the archetypal week erstwhile we were not successful people with him. We volition regret our lack connected this time for the remainder of our lives.”

The connection was released done the bureau of Newport News-based lawyer James S. Ellenson. It is the archetypal nationalist connection from the child’s household and comes astir 2 weeks aft the shooting occurred Jan. 6 astatine Richneck Elementary.

Police said earlier that the 6-year-old’s parent legally purchased the weapon but that it was unclear however her lad gained entree to it. A Virginia instrumentality prohibits leaving a loaded weapon wherever it is accessible to a kid nether 14, a misdemeanor transgression punishable with a maximum one-year situation condemnation and $2,500 fine.

No charges person been brought against the mother, but the probe continues, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said during 1 of 2 Facebook unrecorded chats helium held with the assemblage Wednesday.

During the archetypal chat, the main was asked astatine slightest doubly astir whether the boy’s parents would beryllium held accountable oregon the parent charged. Drew responded by saying helium wanted to guarantee detectives were capable to behaviour a thorough investigation.

“I americium not going to unreserved them,” Drew said. His section has a large narration with section prosecutors, helium said, and helium has “tremendous faith” that “they volition marque the close determination based connected the grounds that they person successful beforehand of them.”

Investigators person astir finished interviewing the children who were successful the classroom, Drew said, and constabulary are moving with a scientist to speech to them astir what they saw.

“This is simply a unprecedented incidental that we person had successful our city, wherever a 6-year-old kid obtained a firearm, brought it to school, pointed it, fired and changeable his teacher successful beforehand of different students,” the main said. “I person a young teacher who suffered a gunshot coiled portion teaching her classroom. By the grace of God, she’s inactive with america today.”

The shooting has drawn planetary attraction to the shipbuilding city, which sits on the James River adjacent the Chesapeake Bay. It has galore radical crossed the federation struggling to comprehend however specified a happening could happen, portion fueling an ongoing statement astir however schools subject children.

The connection from the boy’s household besides elaborated connected the child’s narration with his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, who is inactive recovering from the gunshot coiled and has been called a leader by constabulary and educators alike.

“Our bosom goes retired to our son’s teacher and we commune for her healing successful the aftermath of specified an unimaginable calamity arsenic she selflessly served our lad and the children successful the school,” the household said.

“She has worked diligently and compassionately to enactment our household arsenic we sought the champion acquisition and learning situation for our son,” the connection continued. “We convey her for her courage, grace and sacrifice. We grieve alongside each of the different teachers, families and administrators for however this horrific incidental has impacted them, our community, and the nation.”

The household said the kid has been nether infirmary attraction since the shooting and is receiving “the attraction helium needs.”

“We proceed to commune for his teacher’s afloat recovery, and for her loved ones who are undoubtedly upset and concerned,” the household said. “At the aforesaid time, we emotion our lad and are asking that you delight see him and our household successful your prayers.”

The shooting occurred arsenic Zwerner was teaching her archetypal people people astatine Richneck. Authorities said determination was nary informing and nary conflict earlier the lad pointed the weapon astatine Zwerner. The slug pierced her manus and struck her chest, constabulary said. The 25-year-old teacher hustled her students retired of the schoolroom earlier being rushed to the hospital.

Drew, the constabulary chief, described the shooting arsenic “intentional.” A justice volition find what’s adjacent for the child.

The superintendent of Newport News schools revealed past week that Richneck administrators had learned the kid whitethorn person had a limb earlier the shooting. But a search did not find the handgun, contempt unit looking done his bag.

The revelation fueled outrage among parents and peculiarly teachers. Many criticized schoolhouse strategy administrators astatine a schoolhouse committee gathering Tuesday nighttime for what they called a misguided accent connected attendance and different acquisition statistic implicit the information of children and staff.