Well-Regulated Six-Year-Old Shoots Virginia Schoolteacher

More victims of our sick gun culture.

 Abby Zwerner, a teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, is currently in serious but stable condition after a student shot her in the stomach Friday during an "altercation." The student is six years old, and although it's normal for six-year-olds to act out in class, we should never consider it normal for a six-year-old to shoot their teacher.

 Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters the shooting occurred in a first grade classroom and did not appear to be "accidental." The police won't speculate on motive, and it's horrifying that law enforcement is having to piece together the "motivation" behind a six-year-old deliberately shooting someone.

Richneck Elementary will remain closed through at least Monday, according to Newport News School Superintendent George Parker, as the school addresses “the mental health of our staff and our students."

 Parker added, "I cannot control access to weapons. My teachers cannot control access to weapons. Our students got a lesson in gun violence and what guns can do to disrupt not only an educational environment but also a family, a community.”

PREVIOUSLY:

 Virginia Dems Want To Grab Your Guns, Just Because Of Some Little Ol' Mass Murder 

 Gun Nuts And Nazis Descend On Virginia To Protest Entirely Reasonable Gun Control Laws 

 Nice Virginia Mom Threatens To Bring Loaded Guns To School Over Mask Mandate 

 Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued a mealy-mouthed statement after the shooting: "My administration has offered assistance in response to the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News and stand at the ready to help in any way we can. I am continuing to monitor the situation and am praying for the continued safety of all students and the community."

Last November, after two mass shootings in as many weeks, Youngkin said his administration would propose legislation bolstering mental health resources. Scapegoating people with mental health struggles is how Republicans avoid addressing the actual relevant threat, which are the damn guns.

Authorities are unclear how the child obtained the death machine that was used for its intended purpose. The NRA and the gun lobby have long opposed mandatory gun locks and even gun storage laws. Meanwhile, turning our schools into high-security prisons aren't that effective. Richneck Elementary has metal detectors but its 550 students are checked randomly, presumably because they need to get around to teaching the kids at some point.

Another six-year-old (fortunately unarmed) student who witnessed the shooting described seeing Zwerner fall to her knees after she was shot in the stomach. Zwerner, despite her own injuries, screamed at her kids to run away. This was probably more traumatic for the students than learning that racism and drag queens exist. Republicans, including Youngkin, have demonized "woke" teachers for political gain but whenever there's a school shooting, teachers repeatedly prioritize their students' lives over their own. They are heroes not groomers. 

Zwerner's wounds were described as life-threatening on Friday, but Michelle Price, spokesperson for Newport News Public Schools, said Sunday that she "is still in serious condition but appears to be stable at this point." Price told the Washington Post that Zwerner's condition has improved and "is moving in a positive direction.”

She might yet physically pull through — we certainly hope so — but the psychological injuries are likely to endure. Teachers aren't police officers. You can tell by how little money they make and how eager politicians are to criticize them. They shouldn't have to work in a potential crime scene.

Del. Marcus Simon from Fairfax, Virginia, tweeted, "It’s way past time to get serious about passing safe storage laws with real teeth when we go back into session next week. [Del. Schuyler VanValkenburg] had a bill last year that died on a party line vote." Unfortunately, Republicans would rather lock up books than guns, and they usually prefer feckless, after-the-fact efforts at addressing gun violence, once lives have already been ruined.

Youngkin is no exception. According to his spokesperson, Macaulay Porter, the governor is up for "enhanced penalties" for crimes committed with guns. Maybe they'll lock up the six-year-old shooter in a gun safe. He's probably small enough to fit.

[ Washington Post ]

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