Six-year-old shot teacher at a Virginia elementary school
NEWPORT NEWS, Virg. (NBC, KYMA/KYMA) - Police officers swarmed a Newport News Elementary School Friday after calls of an active shooter.
The suspect, a six-year-old boy.
"This was not an accidental shooting," Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said during a joint news conference that the child pulled a handgun during an altercation with his teacher, ultimately wounding her.
Other children were also in the classroom at the time but did not sustain injuries.
"Today, our students got a lesson in gun violence," Dr. George Parker III, Newport News Superintendent spoke.
"I want to know where that firearm came from, what was the situation," Drew continued.
Plain clothes officers in bulletproof vests then escorted groups of children to their families after an hour-long lockdown.
Tracey Debrew rushed to Richneck Elementary to pick up her grandson when she heard the news.
"Where did this child get a gun from? We have to do something about this gun violence. It is taking over, now it's taking over our babies," Debrew cried.
One military mom, who recently moved to the United States while her husband is stationed in Hampton Roads, shared her reaction to the shooting.
"Just do something. We've got a new governor now. Let's do something, let's change it. You've got a beautiful country. You've got beautiful people. But what's the problem? Guns," said the military mom.
"It's a dark day for Newport News but we're going to learn from this and we're going to come back stronger," said Mayor Elect Philip Jones.
