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A 6-year-old boy is in police custody, accused of shooting his elementary school teacher, prompting renewed criticism of U.S. gun laws.
Police in Newport News, Virginia, said the teacher, an unnamed woman in her 30s, suffered life-threatening injuries after being shot in a first-grade classroom at Richneck Elementary School on Friday. No other injuries were reported.
Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters during a Friday night press conference that there had been “some improvement” in the teacher’s condition. He confirmed that the suspect was a 6-year-old student and that the teacher was shot during an “altercation.”
“The altercation was between a 6-year-old, the student—who did have the firearm—and the teacher,” Drew said. “And then a round was fired … This was not an accidental shooting.”
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Newport News Public Schools officials informed parents of the shooting shortly afterward. Parents soon arrived to be reunited with their children at the school, where some erroneously believed that the suspect was 7 years old.
An unnamed parent, a woman with a British accent, blamed the shooting on relaxed U.S. gun laws in an interview outside of the school with CBS affiliate WTKR.
“Guns … That’s the biggest problem in this country,” the parent told WTKR. “The statistics in the U.K., for crime, is zero for guns. Why is it so bad [in the U.S.]? Why is there a 7-year-old with a bloody gun? Come on, think about it! Let’s do something. We’ve got a new governor now, let’s change [the laws].”
“You’ve got a beautiful country, you’ve got beautiful people,” she added. “But what’s the problem? Guns! How does a 7-year-old have a gun? That’s what I’m pissed off with. I’m only here because my husband is in the military, or otherwise I would not have chosen to come to this country.”
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, who spoke out against new gun laws before winning the Republican primary in 2021, issued a statement about the shooting on Twitter a short time later. The governor vowed to “monitor the situation” and keep “praying” but did not mention any gun legislation.
“My administration has offered assistance in response to the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News and stand at the ready to help in any way we can,” Youngkin said. “I am continuing to monitor the situation and am praying for the continued safety of all students and the community.”
My administration has offered assistance in response to the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News and stand at the ready to help in any way we can. I am continuing to monitor the situation and am praying for the continued safety of all students and the community.
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) January 6, 2023
During the Friday night press conference, Drew said the ongoing police investigation would focus on determining how the 6-year-old student had possession of the weapon, a handgun. He added that the student was the only suspect.
Speaking at the same press conference, Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones praised law enforcement for effectively responding to the incident.
Jones also noted that the incident was “still raw” and pledged to work with local officials to make ensure the city has the “right policies so this doesn’t happen again.”
“It hurts my heart,” Jones said. “It’s a dark day for Newport News, we’re going to learn from this and we’re going to come back stronger.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Newport News Police Department for comment.
