VA- 6-YEAR-OLD is in custody after shooting teacher

[Erutan]

Might be controversial ... but I think they need to start charging the adults/caregivers in these situations !
Counseling and long term assessment for the child, yes.
Poor Ms. Zwerner !

Eta : That's assuming he found a loaded weapon at his home.
Could he have been given it by another student or child/adult in the neighborhood ?

 

[Ontario Mom]

I really believe unless he was walking by himself to school and just happened upon a loaded gun on the way, his caregivers are absolutely responsible for what's in his backpack.

He could have killed himself, another child, or the teacher.

I believe it extremely unlikely he found the gun on the way to school. I truly hope whichever adults failed him and his classmates and teacher have to face justice for it. The victims' trauma could haunt them for years or maybe life. IMO.

I don't think he found it on the way to school either, but without any facts about where it actually came from, it seems a bit unfair to assume his parents/caregivers were irresponsible losers that failed him. They might be, but we don't know that yet.

jmo

 

[Mojito]

Why does a 6-year-old have access to a gun? Why?

Simple. Irresponsible caregiver(s).
There have been Kindergarten and elementary kids who have taken drugs to school, knives, guns, etc.

I'll be interested in the history of this boy. But probably won't be surprised.

 

[Mojito]

I don't think he found it on the way to school either, but without any facts about where it actually came from, it seems a bit unfair to assume his parents/caregivers were irresponsible losers that failed him. They might be, but we don't know that yet.

jmo

I suppose an older child could have given it to him? Someone from the neighborhood, a cousin, or something like that but....I doubt it. Will see.

 

[QB2022]

The child needs proper therapeutic support and counselling.

The adults who allowed them access to a gun, especially after the prior warning, needs to be held legally responsible.

I have a developmentally delayed 6 year old (4ish emotionally) who is fascinated by guns and police and shooting baddies. He wouldn't understand the real consequences of it in real life. In his head he'd be shooting a baddie and then like TV shows everyone lives happy ever after because the day was saved. The key point is my child would never in a million years have access to a gun. (FWIW he isn't a risk in any normal circumstances, but getting hold of a gun he'd be likely to play shooting baddies.)

 

[GoBuckeyes]

As much as I agree, where can this child be held? Immediately they have to be kept safe from others and others safe from them. What in the world is in store for a six year old who has committed attempted murder?

This is like Ethan Crumbley shooting, the parents will be found and be arrested.

How could they not be held responsible? The gun was available, the ammo was available, the gun was found and ammo put in gun, the gun was put into the bag of the student and taken to school Horrific!

JMO

IMO, this case is much worse than what Ethan's parents did. It's one thing to buy a gun for a teenager. In lots of places in the U.S., that's still a right of passage, to get your first rifle. (Not that he was a kid that should have been able to access it without supervision.) These parents left a gun unsecured around a 6 year old. If they aren't charged, someone owes the C's an apology and a ride home. AIMOO I just don't understand what is so difficult about trigger locks and a gun safe! Trigger locks are free in most places, FREE. Is it apathy, indifference, laziness, hectic schedules? What prevents people from using these safety devices?

 

[Ontario Mom]

The child needs proper therapeutic support and counselling.

The adults who allowed them access to a gun, especially after the prior warning, needs to be held legally responsible.

I have a developmentally delayed 6 year old (4ish emotionally) who is fascinated by guns and police and shooting baddies. He wouldn't understand the real consequences of it in real life. In his head he'd be shooting a baddie and then like TV shows everyone lives happy ever after because the day was saved. The key point is my child would never in a million years have access to a gun. (FWIW he isn't a risk in any normal circumstances, but getting hold of a gun he'd be likely to play shooting baddies.)

Prior warning? This is the first I'm hearing this. Do you have a link for this info? TIA

 

[GoBuckeyes]

The child needs proper therapeutic support and counselling.

The adults who allowed them access to a gun, especially after the prior warning, needs to be held legally responsible.

I have a developmentally delayed 6 year old (4ish emotionally) who is fascinated by guns and police and shooting baddies. He wouldn't understand the real consequences of it in real life. In his head he'd be shooting a baddie and then like TV shows everyone lives happy ever after because the day was saved. The key point is my child would never in a million years have access to a gun. (FWIW he isn't a risk in any normal circumstances, but getting hold of a gun he'd be likely to play shooting baddies.)

I'm behind. What was the prior warning? TIA

 

[Ontario Mom]

"Police Chief Steve Drew said the boy shot and wounded the teacher with a handgun in a first-grade classroom. He was later taken into police custody. Drew said the shooting was not accidental and was part of an altercation. No students were injured. Police have declined to describe what led to the altercation or any other details about what happened in the classroom, citing the ongoing investigation. They have also declined to say how the boy got access to the gun or who owns the weapon."
Teacher shot by 6-year-old known as devoted to students

 

[Stunned]

What prior warning? To who?

 

[EllieFox]

Thank goodness I live in a country where no handguns held legally and so can't be potentially left lying around for children to find and use. My heart goes out to the teacher and to the child in this case, too young to understand the long term implications of their actions. Hoping for a speedy recovery for the teacher and good therapy for them both.

 

[mickey2942]

Well, even if you saw a child draw a picture of him killing a teacher, and saying he was going to "shoot a teacher", at age six, that would be considered "disturbing", but not necessarily a "threat". I would consider that something to be monitored, but I doubt anyone would be checking a backpack every day. Especially at age six. Age 16, yes...

Perhaps, that should be re-evaluated.

Yay, next week is "Active Shooter"/Shelter in Place and "Narcan" training. At work. 35 years ago, we had training on "positive teaching". Now, we get training on "active shooters". Things have changed.

 

[shotgun09]

Because the accused 6 year old is such a young juvenile, the system in our country protects him. We ( John Q Public ) will not know much of anything in this case, regarding his treatment, whereabouts, or plan of care moving forward. THAT is off limits..

But.....just guessing here, the LE must have the weapon, finger printed the weapon, traced the weapon. Shell casings found? Were they Analyzed and compared? I am anticipating more to come. But, will we hear about it?

If I was the victim in this case, I would be adamant about searching for the answer of how and where the child obtained the weapon. This crime cannot go away quietly, IMO

 

[charminglane]

In earlier posts, it was mentioned that ammo was brought to the classroom.
Posters may have assumed it was this child that shot the teacher that had brought the items.
Not clear if the ammo incident is the "warning" being discussed?

 

[Speculaytor]

HOW does a 6 year old get his hands on a gun, hide it on his way to school, and know how to shoot it to strike his teacher? Unacceptable, there is no answer that will suffice. Where I live it is against the law to have a fire arm in a household with a juvenile that is not locked up. If a child can obtain a gun in your house, and they do then hurt someone, you and that juvenile will be charged. We need to start using the laws that are on the books. If you have children you should not have guns, unless they are in a safe, are locked where kids cannot access them in any way. Ammunition too.

 

[AngTxGal]

IMO, this case is much worse than what Ethan's parents did. It's one thing to buy a gun for a teenager. In lots of places in the U.S., that's still a right of passage, to get your first rifle. (Not that he was a kid that should have been able to access it without supervision.) These parents left a gun unsecured around a 6 year old. If they aren't charged, someone owes the C's an apology and a ride home. AIMOO I just don't understand what is so difficult about trigger locks and a gun safe! Trigger locks are free in most places, FREE. Is it apathy, indifference, laziness, hectic schedules? What prevents people from using these safety devices?

This case is different from the Crumbley’s and Oxford HS Shooting, but in EC’s case his parents were arrested. That is the first time parents have been held responsible to that degree in the murders perpetrated by a minor.

I‘m in Texas, it is common here for rural kids to be trained how to use guns for a variety of purposes. I’ve been around guns all my life.

Trigger Locks???
There is nothing difficult about trigger locks, but they do not belong on a gun for protection.
A gun for home protection must be out of a safe, without a trigger lock, loaded, and within
quick reach. If a gun meant for protection is not available to use, having one is pointless.
Any idea how long it takes to open a safe, remove a trigger lock, and load a gun? Too long

It is not apathy or laziness regarding trigger locks that is the issue IMO, it is the location that would keep a gun from a child’s hands.

Dad had guns in several rooms of our rural home- but when we were too young to use them we had no idea they were there as there was no way we could have gotten to them.
My mom had a loaded 45 on top of our refrigerator, there was another loaded 45 on a hook behind their master headboard, and another on top of our grandfather clock. I was about 8 when I was told they were there, and shown how to use them.
It was after my brother and I had taken a gun safety class- 8 yrs of age.

I have three 38 revolvers in my home. One is within quick reach from my bed, the other I can reach from my front door, the other is in the kitchen above the fridge. None of them have trigger locks, are in safes, or unloaded. If an intruder came into my home, they better know my floor plan better than I do So they can get back out quickly. I have no intention of being a victim of any kind of violent crime in my own home.

This child had access to a loaded gun, got it into a backpack, out of the house, with the mindset and intent to shoot his teacher.
There are a lot of red flags in that statement, the location of the gun is one of them.

JMO- as a single mom of two teens

 

[airportwoman]

I think PD will reveal where he got the gun when that person is in custody.
If they tip them off now, this adult may run.
Has anyone heard how the teacher is doing?

JMO

This would especially be true if the adult not only gave the child the gun, but coached them on using it. This would not surprise me at all.

 

[airportwoman]

I suppose an older child could have given it to him? Someone from the neighborhood, a cousin, or something like that but....I doubt it. Will see.

And if THAT is the case, find out where the older child got it, and charge THEM if they are old enough.

 

[mickey2942]

Elementary student describes lockdown horror at Virginia school where police say a 6-year-old shot a teacher | CNN

As police investigate the circumstances that led to a 6-year-old boy allegedly shooting and injuring a teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, Friday, a student at the school described the harrowing moment the lockdown was called.

www.cnn.com

A lot of information in this article. So many parents were probably terrified, going to pick up their kids, wondering if this was like Texas...

The other children in the school were scared.

At least the teacher wasn't killed. Probably the child will be put in residential school or a far different placement, because the other kids, parents wouldn't want this kid back in the school. Not to mention staff.

 

[ssnva1]

My seven year old is the sweetest little boy ever. I just can’t imagine what this child has endured during his 6 years to something like this. Smh.