6-Year-Old In Custody After Elementary School Shooting

By Jason Hall

January 7, 2023

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Photo: iStockphoto

A 6-year-old is in police custody following an elementary school shooting in Virginia that left a teacher seriously injured, local police confirmed via NBC News on Friday (January 6).

"This was not an accidental shooting," Newport News police Chief Steve Drew said while addressing reporters.

No students were injured during the incident, which took place at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, the department confirmed in an update shared on its Medium.com account.

The shooting took place inside a first-grade classroom when the child and teacher -- who knew each other prior to the incident -- were reported to be alone, Drew confirmed during an evening press conference.

The teacher was identified as a woman in her 30s and reported to be hospitalized for injuries sustained during the shooting.

“Her injuries are still considered life-threatening, but there was some improvement in the last update that we got,” Drew said via NBC News.

Police didn't publicly identify the 6-year-old boy due to his age.

"I'm in awe, and I'm in shock, and I'm disheartened," Newport News Public Schools Superintendent George Parker III said during the evening press conference via NBC News.

James J. Fedderman, president of the Virginia Education Association, a union representing teachers throughout the state, referred to the incident as "yet another example of senseless violence affecting our public schools" via NBC News.

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