Newport News School Was Warned 3 Times That 6-Year-Old Had a Gun, Lawyer Says - The New York Times

U.S.|Newport News School Was Warned 3 Times That 6-Year-Old Had a Gun, Lawyer Says

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — In the hours earlier a 6-year-old lad changeable his first-grade teacher successful Virginia this month, schoolhouse leaders were warned 3 times that the lad mightiness person a gun, a lawyer for the teacher said connected Wednesday, including by a pupil who tearfully recounted seeing the weapon astatine recess.

In announcing the teacher’s intent to record a suit against the Newport News School District, the lawyer, Diane Toscano, laid retired a bid of escalating warnings that happened connected Jan. 6, erstwhile the constabulary accidental a 6-year-old lad took his mother’s weapon from home, brought it to Richneck Elementary School and fired astatine his teacher, Abigail Zwerner, successful a shooting that has shaken parents and teachers and led to a question to occurrence the superintendent.

By astir 12:30 p.m. connected the time of the shooting, a teacher had searched the boy’s backpack, believing that helium mightiness person a gun, Ms. Toscano said. No weapon was found, but the teacher reported to the schoolhouse medication that she believed the lad had enactment the weapon successful his pouch earlier going extracurricular for recess. Instead of searching the boy, Ms. Toscano said, an head dismissed the threat, saying that the 6-year-old “has small pockets.”

Around 1 p.m. — an hr earlier the shooting — different teacher reported that a pupil had travel to the teacher crying, saying that the lad had shown him the weapon astatine recess and threatened to sprout the pupil if helium told anyone, Ms. Toscano said.

“What did administrators do?” Ms. Toscano said astatine a quality league connected Wednesday discussing plans to record the lawsuit. “Did administrators telephone the police? No. Did administrators lockdown the school? No. Did administrators evacuate the building? No. Did they face the student? No.”

A 3rd teacher besides asked for support to hunt the boy, Ms. Toscano said, but was told to wait, due to the fact that the schoolhouse time was astir over.

Shortly earlier 2 p.m., the constabulary say, the lad pointed the weapon astatine Ms. Zwerner and changeable her successful beforehand of his classmates successful their first-grade classroom.

A spokeswoman for Newport News Public Schools did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

It was unclear erstwhile the suit mightiness beryllium filed.

A schoolhouse committee gathering is scheduled for Wednesday nighttime to see the occupation of the superintendent.

This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.