Virginia teacher shot by six-year-old files $40m lawsuit

A Virginia schoolhouse teacher who was changeable by her six-year-old pupil has filed a $40m (£32m) suit against schoolhouse officials, alleging gross negligence for ignoring informing signs.

The lawsuit, filed connected Monday, argues the defendants knew the kid "had a past of random violence".

Abigail 'Abby' Zwerner, 25, was changeable connected 6 January successful the manus and precocious thorax and spent 2 weeks successful hospital.

She has undergone 4 surgeries.

The lad brought the pistol successful his backpack to Richneck Elementary School successful Newport News, a metropolis of astir 180,000 residents north-west of Virginia Beach.

After being changeable by the unidentified boy, Ms Zwerner got her different students to information earlier calling for assistance for herself.

"She is simply a trooper, she is simply a hero," constabulary main Steve Drew said aft the incident.

According to investigators, the kid took his mother's firearm, which was purchased legally.

The committee has since voted to instal metallic detectors astatine Richneck, which has 550 pupils, and each different schoolhouse successful the district.

The superintendent was fired by the schoolhouse committee and the adjunct main resigned, but the lad has not been charged, nor has anyone else.

The suit claims the aforesaid lad "strangled and choked" his kindergarten teacher past year.

It besides alleges the lad would pursuit different students with a loop to whip them and curse astatine staff.

According to the complaint, 2 days earlier opening occurrence connected Ms Zwerner arsenic she sat astatine a speechmaking array successful class, the lad had taken the teacher's mobile telephone and smashed it connected the ground. For this, helium had received a one-day suspension.

His household says the lad has an "acute disability" and seldom attended schoolhouse without 1 of his parents being present.

The suit reads: "All Defendants knew that John Doe attacked students and teachers alike, and his information to injure was directed toward anyone successful his path, some successful and retired of school, and was not constricted to teachers portion astatine the school."

Ms Zwerner is seeking compensatory damages for imperishable bodily injuries, carnal pain, intelligence anguish, mislaid net and different damages, the suit says.

"I thought I had died," Ms Zwerner told NBC's Today amusement successful March.

The Newport News schoolhouse committee did not instantly respond to emails seeking comment.