Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones has released a statement about the shooting at Richneck Elementary School.
His statement is as follows:
"Newport News is a strong community, but we are saddened and disheartened by the terrible tragedy that took place at Richneck Elementary School. It is almost impossible to wrap our minds around the fact that a 6 year old 1st grader brought a loaded handgun to school and shot a teacher; however, this is exactly what our community is grappling with today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the teacher and her family, and we are hopeful that she will recover from this ordeal.
"This is still an active investigation, and the Newport News Police Department is working diligently to get an answer to the question we are all asking - how did this happen? We are also working to ensure the child receives the supports and services he needs as we continue to process what took place.
"I am extremely proud of all of our public servants - police officers, sheriff's deputies, teachers and other school staff, fire personnel, etc. - who acted quickly to secure the scene, protect the children and get them reunited with their parents. They worked together seamlessly, and it is a result of these extraordinary efforts that we were able to ensure the safety of the school and the community."
Newport News Mayor Phillip D. Jones
The shooting took place on Friday, Jan. 6 around 2 p.m. The day after the shooting, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew met with the victim, who is now in stable condition, according to the Newport News Police Department.
Multiple sources confirmed to us that the teacher who was shot is first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
