Teacher allegedly shot by 6-year-old is identified as Abigail Zwerner - The Washington Post

The lad was taken into custody and Zwerner was rushed to the hospital, wherever schoolhouse officials said she was successful unchangeable information and talking with friends and family.

Richneck Elementary School Principal Briana Foster Newton announced the schoolhouse volition beryllium closed for the week, longer than the antecedently announced two-day closure. She besides said counseling volition beryllium disposable for students and a municipality hallway was scheduled for Thursday.

The Newport News mayor, constabulary and prosecutors did not instantly respond to requests for updates connected the case, and it remains unclear however the lad got the weapon utilized successful the shooting oregon however the ineligible strategy mightiness grip his case, which is challenging fixed his age. A quality league was scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday.

Zwerner lives successful Williamsburg, Va., and is simply a autochthonal of Ruckersville, Va., according to her Facebook page. Zwerner graduated from James Madison University’s College of Education successful 2019 and obtained a master’s grade from the aforesaid schoolhouse successful 2020, a spokeswoman said. Zwerner and her relatives did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

In a connection released Sunday, James Madison President Jonathan R. Alger said helium was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.

“We connection prayers and champion wishes for Abby’s wellness and betterment and privation to bash each we tin to enactment Abby, her household and friends, chap teachers and existent students and their families astatine this incredibly hard time,” Alger said. “JMU is prepared to enactment those impacted by this incidental present and successful the weeks to come.”

Brittaney Gregory, whose lad was successful the class, told The Washington Post Sunday that Zwerner’s first-grade people was successful a tiny speechmaking radical and astir to power to creation erstwhile the 6-year-old pulled the weapon from a backpack and pointed it astatine Zwerner.

“She was going to confiscate it, and that’s erstwhile helium shot,” Gregory said.

According to constabulary vigor postulation archived by the website Broadcastify, exigency responders said a pistillate astatine the schoolhouse had been changeable successful the abdomen and done the hand.

Gregory described Zwerner arsenic her son’s favorite. Gregory said Zwerner was bubbly and outgoing and sometimes near notes successful her son’s backpack. “I anticipation you had a large day,” 1 said. “I privation you to cognize your grin is contagious,” said another.

Gregory said her lad began to enactment retired portion her fiance was deployed successful the military. Zwerner scheduled a gathering with her and sent Gregory regular reports astir her son. “She’s specified a saccharine lady,” she added. “She’s precise attentive to the kids.”

Mark Anthony Garcia Sr., a genitor of a 2nd grader astatine Richneck, said his lad heard the shooting, earlier a teacher told the kids to huddle successful a harmless room. He said his son, who is eight, does not privation to instrumentality to school.

Garcia said he’s contemplating removing his lad from Richneck if information does not improve. He said helium wants to perceive much from schoolhouse officials astir what they program to bash to support guns from campus.

“We can’t heal if we don’t person security,” Garcia said.

Jim Morrison, Hannah Natanson, Nick Anderson and Alice Crites contributed to this report.