That’s not a typo. A six-year-old kid shot a teacher in a first grade classroom in Newport News, Virginia, on Friday, December 6, 2023 (read story here).
The teacher, Abby Zwerner (photo, left), 25, was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. She was shot in the chest.
Police, who arrested the boy, said the shooting was deliberate but couldn’t say how he got the handgun. They’re looking into that, and when they’re done looking into it, some adult ought to go to prison. Kids don’t just get guns, somebody either gave it to him, or was awfully careless about securing it.
Meanwhile, “Friday’s shooting will almost certainly stoke debate about restricting public access to guns in the US, even after Congress passed a bill last year that tightened restrictions on access to firearms for some people who are considered to be at risk of carrying out violence,” the Guardian said here.
Not really. After countless mass shootings and school shootings, Republicans continue to block any form of gun regulation, and even if Congress could pass legislation, rightwing judges would strike it down. We’ve had years of talk, talk, talk; and the gun nuts have gotten their way. Now our communities and classrooms are carpeted with innocent blood. If you want more of this, vote for Republicans.
Update (1/9/23): Authorities said the gun was legally purchased by the boy’s mother, but they’re still investigating how he brought it to school, and charges against the parents are possible. Meanwhile, the teacher is being hailed as a hero. Watch the NBC News segment below.
Update (6/5/23): The gun wasn’t purchased legally. The boy’s mother is a marijuana user, and can’t legally possess a gun. She agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of lying about her drug use on her gun purchase application; she still faces state charges of child neglect and reckless endangerment. See story here.