Family says six-year-old boy who shot Virginia teacher has ‘acute disability’
The family of the six-year-old boy who shot his teacher in Newport News, Virginia has said that he suffers from an “acute disability”.
It’s the first statement the family has made since the shooting took place just after 2pm on 6 January at Richneck Elementary School.
The student pulled out a firearm from his backpack and shot Abigail Zwerner, a 25-year-old first-grade teacher, during a lesson.
In the statement released by the family’s lawyer James Ellenson, they shared their sympathy for Ms Zwerner and said that the gun that investigators said the child brought from home and used during the shooting “was secured,” according to The Washington Post.
“Our heart goes out to our son’s teacher and we pray for her healing in the aftermath of such an unimaginable tragedy as she selflessly served our son and the children in the school,” the family statement said. “She has worked diligently and compassionately to support our family as we sought the best education and learning environment for our son. We thank her for her courage, grace and sacrifice.”
The family statement didn’t outline any details or specifics about the shooting and didn’t include an explanation as to how the six-year-old managed to get ahold of the firearm.
Police previously revealed that the gun had been bought legally by the boy’s mother.
The authorities said that they are continuing to probe how the child retrieved the gun and they’re reviewing if charges should be filed for failing to store the gun safely.
The family statement went on to say that they’re working with local and federal agencies “to understand how this could have happened”.
The six-year-old had a care plan at the school, part of which was one of his parents coming to school with him and being in classes alongside him every day until the week that the shooting occurred, the statement revealed.
“The week of the shooting was the first week when we were not in class with him,” the family said. “We will regret our absence on this day for the rest of our lives.”
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