6-Year-Old In Custody After Allegedly Shooting Teacher

 A six-year-old student was taken into custody in Virgina on Friday after allegedly shooting his teacher, police say.

A female teacher in her 30s sustained life-threatening injuries after she was allegedly shot once by a first-grade student at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, according to the Daily Press. Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew told the outlet that the shooting allegedly occurred after the student had an “altercation” with the victim.

“This was not an accidental shooting,” Drew stated.

A six-year-old student who reportedly witnessed the incident told the Daily Press that the unnamed teacher was shot in the stomach and fell to her knees, alleging that her classmate shot their teacher “on purpose.”

“We did not have a situation where someone was going around the school shooting. We had a situation in one particular location where a gunshot was fired,” Drew told the outlet. The child was taken into custody and the teacher was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries, the outlet reported. 

s the situation unfolded, all of the children were taken to the gymnasium by their teachers where they were watched over by counselors and police officers, Drew told WTKR News. “We want to make sure that they’re OK,” he told the outlet.

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones arrived on the scene with other members of the city council to provide support for local authorities whom he praised for their rapid response to the shooting.

“It’s been a long day for a lot of people. But at the end of the day, the children’s safety is our top priority,” Jones told the Daily Press. “It’s a dark day for Newport News, but we’re gonna learn from this, and we’re gonna come back stronger.”