How did the 6-year-old Virginia student obtain the gun? Officer shares details of Abby Zwerner shooting

On Friday, January 6, Virginia elementary school teacher Abby Zwerner was critically injured after she was shot by a six-year-old student.

As per CNN, the incident occurred at Richneck Elementary school in Newport News city. At approximately 2 pm, after a brief dispute, Abby Zwerner reportedly attempted to confiscate a 9 mm Taurus handgun from one of her six-year-old male students.

The student, in his attempts to resist, subsequently shot Zwerner in her upper chest and hand. Investigators have deemed the shooting intentional.

According to the New York Post, the student had found the pistol at home before stashing it in his backpack and taking it to school. As per the Guardian, Newport News authorities determined that the firearm was a legally purchased weapon belonging to the six-year-old mother.

BBC reported that the child involved in the shooting is currently under police custody. Authorities have not disclosed whether or not his mother will face legal consequences.

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The Abby Zwerner shooting sparks outrage among officials

The shooting has once more provoked debates about gun laws in America. Officials have argued that due to lax firearm restrictions, incidents such as the Abby Zwerner shooting are inevitable.

Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said the incident should be considered a 'red flag' for the country.

In an official press release, he stated:

"I do think that after this event, there is going to be a nationwide discussion on how these sorts of things can be prevented."

In an interview with the Guardian, Daniel Webster, a professor and gun violence expert at John Hopkins University, said that shootings perpetrated by children are not isolated incidents.

Webster said:

“A six-year-old gaining access to a loaded gun and shooting him/herself or someone else, sadly, is not so rare."

School Superintendent George Parker also said that the horrific shooting has only served to introduce the pupils to the endemic gun violence that can be seen across the country.

Parker said:

“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.”

According to USA Today, the six-year-old shooter's mother has been held accountable for the assault. The publication reported that under Virginia Law, neglecting to secure a loaded gun from the access of children could lead to up to one year in prison, as well as a fine of $2500.

The six-year-old, on the other hand, cannot face legal repercussions as he is under the age of 7. Virginia law deems that a child this young is not capable of forming 'criminal intent', and is therefore unable to undergo prosecution. CBS reported, however, that the student is currently being evaluated by mental health professionals.

As of January 9, Monday, Abby Zwerner is reportedly in stable condition.