School officials ignored multiple warnings that 6-year-old had a gun before he shot his teacher, lawyer says

Concerned staff warned administrators at a Virginia elementary school three times that a six-year-old boy had a gun and threatened other students hours before he shot and wounded a teacher, but administration was “paralyzed by apathy” and ignored it. t call the police, remove the boy from class or lock down the school, the injured teacher’s lawyer said Wednesday.

Diane Toscano, an attorney for Abigail Zwerner, said during a press conference that she has notified the school board in Newport News, Va., that the 25-year-old teacher at Richneck Elementary School plans to sue the school district on Jan. 1. 6 shooting, which left Zwerner seriously injured.

“On that day, within a few hours, three different times – three times – the school administration was alerted by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun at school and was threatening people. But the administration couldn’t be bothered,” Toscano said.

He said Zwerner first went to an administrator around 11:15 a.m. on the day of the shooting and said the boy had threatened to hit another boy, but no action was taken.

About an hour later, another teacher went to the administrator and said he had taken it upon himself to search the boy’s bookbag, but was warned that he thought the boy had put a gun in his pocket before going out for recess, Toscano said.

“The administrator downplayed the report of the teacher and the possibility of a gun, saying – and I quote – ‘Well, he has a little pocket,'” Toscano said.

Shortly after 1 p.m., another teacher told an administrator that another student who was “crying and scared” said the boy showed him a gun during recess and threatened to shoot him if he told anyone. Again, no action was taken, he said.

When other employees who heard the boy might have a gun asked administrators to search the boy, they were denied, Toscano said.

“They were told to wait for the situation because the school day was almost over,” he said.

About an hour later, Zwerner “was shot in front of these horrified children, and the school and the community were left with a nightmare, all because of the school administration’s failure to act,” Toscano said.

“If he had not been paralyzed by apathy, he could have prevented this tragedy,” he said.

School district spokeswoman Michelle Price and School Board Chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law did not immediately return calls seeking comment on Toscano’s allegations.

The shooting raised questions about security at the school and shocked Newport News, a city of about 185,000 about 110 kilometers southeast of Richmond.

Superintendent George Parker III, who has been heavily criticized by parents and teachers in the wake of the shooting, has said that at least one administrator told him on the day of the shooting that the boy could have a weapon, but no weapon found when. the backpack was searched. Police said school officials did not tell them about the tip before the shooting, which happened several hours later.

Cindy Connell, a high school teacher in Newport News, called the events described by Toscano “beyond horrifying.”

“This is just another example of administrators not listening to teachers’ concerns, and the only reason we’re talking about this is because Abby Zwerner was fired,” Connell said.

“I think that the administrators who repeatedly told us that this kid had a weapon, we thought that this kid had a weapon — anybody who knew about this situation and didn’t do anything should lose their job.”

The gun belonged to the boy’s mother

Police Chief Steve Drew has repeatedly characterized the shooting as “accidental,” saying the boy aimed at Zwerner and fired one round, striking him in the arm and chest. Zwerner was hospitalized for nearly two weeks but is now recovering at home, Toscano said.

“The road to full recovery will be long … and the psychological scars will last,” Toscano said.

The boy’s mother legally purchased the gun used in the shooting, police said. The boy’s family said in a statement last week that the gun was “secured.” The family’s lawyer, James Ellenson, told The Associated Press that his understanding was that the gun was in the woman’s closet on a shelf that was over 1.8 meters high and had a trigger lock that required a key.

The family also said the boy has “acute disabilities” and is on a care plan “that includes his mother or father going to school with him and accompanying him to class every day.” The first shooting week was when the parents weren’t in class with them, the family said.

James Ellenson, a lawyer for the boy’s family, released a statement on Friday saying they “continue to pray for Ms. Zwerner and wish her a full and complete recovery.”

“Our hearts go out to everyone involved,” Ellenson said.

The Newport News School Board will hold a special meeting Wednesday afternoon to vote on a separation agreement and severance package for Parker, according to a posted agenda. The board is also scheduled to elect a new interim superintendent.

The school, which has been closed since the shooting, is scheduled to reopen next week. Karen Lynch, a longtime principal in the Newport News school district, has been named an “administrator on special duty” in Richneck, Lynch said in a note to parents Monday.