Virginia
Virginia students return to school one month after teacher shot by 6-year-old
Heightened safety measures and a brand new college administration will welcome Richneck Elementary College college students again to the classroom Monday for the primary time since a 6-year-old allegedly shot his instructor practically a month in the past.
Newly-appointed college administrator Karen Lynch mentioned emotional assist companies can be supplied to college students, households and workers whereas saying colleges would reopen.
Every week after the Jan. 6 capturing, the Newport Information College Board introduced that 90 walk-through steel detectors can be positioned within the college buildings throughout the district.
The college’s principal and assistant principal have each resigned after it was revealed that directors have been warned concerning the armed pupil 3 times the day of the capturing.
The district’s superintendent, Dr. George Parker, III, was additionally eliminated by the college board.
New additions to the college’s safety embrace two officers assigned to the college. Earlier than the capturing, there was one safety officer shared between Richneck Elementary and one other college within the district.
The safety officer was not at Richneck Elementary on the time of the capturing, which rocked town of Newport Information and left 25-year-old instructor Abby Zwerner critically injured.
Police have mentioned that the first-grade pupil introduced a 9mm handgun to highschool and deliberately shot Zwerner whereas she was instructing.
The bullet hit Zwerner’s hand and struck her chest, however the instructor — now declared a “hero” — hustled the scholars out of the classroom earlier than being rushed to the hospital.
Zwerner was within the hospital for practically two weeks, however is now recovering at dwelling. A lawyer for Zwerner mentioned Wednesday the younger instructor would sue the Newport Information College District.
Her legal professional claims directors at Richneck Elementary College did not act after that they had been warned 3 times that the 6-year-old boy had a gun.
“On that day, over the course of some hours, three totally different occasions — 3 times — college administration was warned by involved academics and staff that the boy had a gun on him on the college and was threatening folks,” lawyer Diane Toscano mentioned in a Wednesday information convention. “However the administration couldn’t be bothered.”
A number of academics, together with Zwerner, alerted directors that they believed the boy had a gun both in his backpack or in his pocket. One instructor advised directors the boy threatened to shoot one other pupil whereas at recess.
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Toscano mentioned one instructor advised directors at 12:30 p.m. the day of the capturing that she searched the boy’s backpack for the gun however believed it was in his pocket. Shortly after, a special instructor alerted directors concerning the boy after a pupil mentioned the 6-year-old confirmed him the gun and threatened to shoot him.
The 6-year-old boy’s mom, who has not been recognized, bought the gun legally, police mentioned.
It’s unclear how the boy, whose household has mentioned he has an “acute incapacity,” gained entry to the weapon. The mom has not been charged with a criminal offense.