Teacher shot by six-year-old boy repeatedly warned school administrators that he made her feel ‘uncomfortable’ and was threatening other students – but nothing was done
- Abigail Zwerner told superiors she did not want the child in her classroom two months before he shot her
- The boy reportedly stuck his finger up to a classmate and pushed another to the floor
- Zwerner was left critically injured after the child fired a semi-automatic pistol that belonged to his mother on January 6
The Virginia teacher who was shot by her 6-year-old student had raised the alarm about his behavior, telling administrators she felt ‘uncomfortable’ with him in her classroom.
Abigail Zwerner emailed her superiors on November 22 reporting two incidents involving the boy including one where he stuck his middle finger up to a classmate and another where he pushed a student to the floor.
According to documents obtained by 13NewsNow, Zwerner told staff: ‘As of today, I do not feel comfortable with him returning to my classroom today.’
She suggested scheduling a meeting with the boy’s father to address ‘behavioral difficulties’ and offer ‘support’ to the troubled student.
The emails were sent less than two months before she was shot and critically injured by the child on January 6.
In this undated photo provided by her family and lawyers, Abigail Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, is shown inside her classroom. An attorney says Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student during class plans to sue the school district. Diane Toscano, a lawyer for Zwerner, said Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, that on the day of the shooting, concerned teachers and employees warned administrators three times that the boy had a gun on him and was threatening other students, “but the administration could not be bothered.” (Family of Abigail Zwerner via AP)
An hour before the shooting, Zwerner texted a loved one to say the boy was carrying a gun in his backpack.
Zwerner reported her concerns to Principal Briana Foster Newton and Assistant Principal Ebony parker – both of whom resigned shortly after the incident.
