School searched 1st-grader’s backpack before teacher shot - WTOP

1 year ago 38

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Administrators astatine the Virginia schoolhouse wherever a first-grader shot his teacher past week learned the kid whitethorn person had a limb successful his possession earlier the shooting but did not find the 9mm handgun helium brought contempt searching his bag, the schoolhouse system’s superintendent said.

School strategy Superintendent George Parker told parents Thursday nighttime successful an online gathering that a schoolhouse authoritative was notified astir the limb earlier the 6-year-old changeable the teacher astatine Richneck Elementary successful Newport News.

“At slightest 1 head was notified of a imaginable limb successful the timeline that we’re reviewing and was alert that that pupil had, determination was a imaginable that determination was a limb connected campus,” the superintendent told parents, according to a clip of the gathering broadcast by WAVY-TV.

He said the boy’s backpack was searched earlier the shooting, but the weapon was not recovered astatine that point.

“The publication container for the pupil was searched aft it was reported that helium perchance had a weapon,” the presumption quoted Parker arsenic saying.

The online gathering was for parents lone but WAVY-TV reported the presumption gained entree to the gathering from a parent.

Neither the superintendent nor territory spokesperson Michelle Price responded to aggregate messages Friday from The Associated Press. Details astir however they learned astir the limb and wherefore it was not recovered earlier the shooting were not instantly available. The constabulary main has antecedently said the lad brought the weapon to schoolhouse successful his backpack.

The teacher, Abigail Zwerner, 25, was changeable successful the thorax with injuries initially considered to beryllium beingness threatening. Her information has improved, though, and she has been reported successful unchangeable information astatine a hospital.

Earlier Thursday, Newport News School Board Chair Lisa Surles-Law said the territory volition instal metallic detectors astatine each schools, starting with Richneck.

The Jan. 6 shooting occurred arsenic Zwerner was teaching her class. Authorities said determination was nary informing and nary conflict earlier the 6-year-old lad pointed the weapon astatine Zwerner.

Police Chief Steve Drew has described the shooting arsenic intentional. A justice volition find what’s adjacent for the child, who is being held astatine a aesculapian installation pursuing an exigency custody order.

Drew said the kid utilized his mother’s gun, which had been purchased legally. It’s unclear however helium gained entree to the weapon. A Virginia instrumentality prohibits leaving a loaded weapon wherever it is accessible to a kid nether 14 arsenic a misdemeanor.

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A erstwhile mentation of this study had an incorrect spelling of Abigail Zwerner’s archetypal name.