A six-year-old boy is in police custody after allegedly shooting a Virginia elementary school teacher during an altercation at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News on Friday.
Authorities said that the female teacher was left with “life-threatening injuries” after being shot by the student.
Police said during a press conference Friday evening that the shooting was not accidental and that they are working to learn how the student got a firearm and why the shooting occurred.
“The altercation was between a 6-year-old, the student who did have the firearm, and the teacher, and then the round was fired,” said Chief Drew, according to local station WAVY-10. “This was not an accidental shooting.”
No students were injured during the shocking incident.
“I’m in shock, and I’m in awe, and I’m disheartened,” Dr. George Parker, the superintendent of Newport News Public Schools, said during a press conference. “We need to keep guns out of the hands of our young people,” he added.
“I cannot control access to weapons. My teachers cannot control access to weapons,” he told reporters.