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School Officials Resigned After 6-Year-Old Student Shoots Teacher In Virginia

Richneck Elementary School Teacher Abigail Zwerner [Photo: Christian Post]
Richneck Elementary School Teacher Abigail Zwerner [Photo: Christian Post]

The principal and assistant principal of Richneck Elementary School in Virginia resigned after a 6-year-old student shot a teacher from the same school. Abigail Zwerner reportedly warned the school officials about the student but they had not bothered with the threat.

Richneck Elementary School in Virginia [Photo: The New York Times]

Richneck Elementary School in Virginia [Photo: The New York Times]

On January 6, a teacher from Richneck Elementary School in Virginia, Abigail Zwerner, 25, was shot by one of her students during a lesson in class. Reports say that the 9mm handgun brought by the 6-year-old student to class was his mother’s. The handgun had allegedly been secured in the mother’s closet on a shelf more than six feet high and has a trigger lock that needed a key.

According to Aitken, the student’s family stated that the boy had an acute disability mental disorder. One of his parents usually accompanies him to school every day. However, on the week of the shooting incident, it was the first time that no one was present to accompany him. To date, the student remains unnamed. On the other hand, Zwerner is now recovering at home after being hospitalized for two weeks.

This shooting incident is reportedly not an isolated case in Virginia after the shooting incidents at Heritage and Menchville high schools in 2021 as well. Zwerner is represented by Attorney Diana Toscano who stated that teachers and employees have warned the school officials thrice about the boy. Reportedly, they have been saying that the boy brought a gun to school and threatened other students. However, the officials did not take the threat critically.

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School Officials Resigned

The shooting incident caused a distress towards the Newport News Public Schools district which made the School Board vote to dismiss Superintendent George Parker III from his position. Both Richneck Elementary School principal Briana Foster Newton and assistant principal Ebony Parker have also decided to resign from their positions and leave the school. The school district’s spokesperson announced that Newton is still working for the school district. However, Parker has completely resigned. 

According to Hammond, Karen Lynch assumed the position of the school administrator. In her letter to the families of the students, she stated that the school will provide emotional support services to the students, families, and staff. This takeover was followed by news that Zwerner has plans to sue the school district because of the incident. 

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