A teacher in United States has been hailed a hero for evacuating students from her classroom after she was shot by a 6-year-old student.
Key points:
- Abigail Zwerner escorted about 20 students out of the classroom on Friday after being shot
- The shooter, a boy, 6, is in temporary custody at a medical facility
- Local Police Chief Steve Drew says he doesn’t know how a six-year-old knew how to use a gun
Abigail Zwerner is in stable condition after the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Virginia on Friday afternoon, Police Chief Steve Drew told a news conference.
Chief Drew said Ms Zwerner was “a hero”.
“She made sure that every one of those kids were out of that room, that she was the last one to leave,” he said.
“She took it upon herself in that situation, after suffering a gunshot wound, to make sure that her students … were safe.”
Mr Drew said the boy was in temporary custody at a medical facility, and a judge had until Tuesday, local time, to determine whether to extend the order to keep him in custody.
It was too soon to determine whether the boy’s parents would be charged for failing to secure the weapon, which the boy’s mother had bought legally, Chief Drew said.
The boy had taken the 9-millimetre Taurus handgun from home, placed it in his backpack and removed it while Ms Zwerner was teaching class, Chief Drew said, pointing it and firing once.
Mr Zwerner — who took a defensive posture — was shot through the hand and into the chest.
After the shot, another woman who works at the school rushed into the classroom and held the boy down while Ms Zwerner escorted about 20 students out, Chief Drew said.
When police arrived, they found the gun on the floor.
“How does a 6-year-old know how to use a firearm? I don’t know that I could give you an adequate answer,” Chief Drew said, adding he wished he’d never had to ask the question.
While police and prosecutors continued their investigation, educators vowed to re-examine security protocols.
Newport News Public Schools Superintendent George Parker told reporters the school was unprepared for a 6-year-old bringing a gun to school and firing it.
He said it was the third time since 1970 a child aged six or younger had discharged a weapon at a US school.
Until now, security measures focused on using metal detectors at high schools and drilling for active-shooter situations at all levels.
“I hate to be at this point where I’m where I’m considering this … It may warrant us to reconsider metal detectors at all of our buildings,” Mr Parker said.