Newport News school shooting: How a 6-year-old got a gun and other questions that remain - ABC News

Many questions stay unanswered aft a 6-year-old pupil allegedly changeable and injured a teacher astatine a Newport News, Virginia, simple school.

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said successful a connection this play that constabulary were "working diligently to get an reply to the question we are each asking -- however did this happen?"

Police portion hangs from a motion station extracurricular Richneck Elementary School, January 7, 2023, successful Newport News, Virginia.

Jay Paul/Getty Images

What we cognize

Abigail Zwerner, a 25-year-old Richneck Elementary School teacher, was changeable with a handgun connected Friday successful a archetypal people classroom, constabulary said.

She was initially hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

"Abigail wanted maine to archer you each ... that she is successful unchangeable information and she is thankful for the thoughts and prayers," Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said astatine a quality league Monday.

Zwerner was giving people acquisition erstwhile the pupil pointed the weapon astatine her and fired 1 round, Drew said, adding that determination was nary carnal conflict oregon fight.

Zwerner took a antiaircraft presumption and raised her hand, and the slug went done her manus and past into her chest, the main said.

After Zwerner was shot, she ushered each of her students retired of the classroom, the main said, adding that she was the past idiosyncratic to permission that class.

The main called Zwerner "a hero," and said she's repeatedly asked however her students are doing.

No students were injured and the 6-year-old fishy was taken into custody.

A schoolhouse motion wishing students a "Happy New Year" is seen extracurricular Richneck Elementary School, Jan. 7, 2023, successful Newport News, Virginia.

Jay Paul/Getty Images

The weapon

Drew said officials were looking into however the 6-year-old obtained the handgun.

Authorities haven't made nationalist who owns the weapon oregon however the 6-year-old got the weapon into the school.

A motive has besides not been released. Authorities haven't elaborated connected the altercation betwixt the pupil and teacher but the constabulary main told reporters Friday that the shooting was not accidental.

A bare hoops tribunal is seen extracurricular Richneck Elementary School, Jan. 7, 2023, successful Newport News, Virginia.

Jay Paul/Getty Images

The 6-year-old

The politician didn't merchandise wherever the 6-year-old is being held but helium told The Associated Press, "We are ensuring helium has each the services that helium presently needs close now."

Asked by CNN connected Sunday what volition hap adjacent for the fishy and if the 6-year-old's parents could beryllium held responsible, the politician replied, "There's a batch of questions that we person to answer."

"Because it remains an investigation, we're going to fto itself enactment retired earlier we unreserved to judgement astatine this time," Jones said. "The individuals liable volition beryllium held accountable -- I tin committedness that."

ABC News' Meredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira and Ben Siu contributed to this report.