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Embassies at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia
Photo: John C Clark/AP
Police have released new details about the shooting of a teacher in the US state of Virginia.
The shooter, a six-year-old boy, used his mother's gun for the crime.
On Friday, police said, he shot his teacher in the classroom at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News.
The 25-year-old woman suffered life-threatening injuries.
Her condition is now stable, Police Chief Steve Drew said.
The shooter's mother bought the gun legally and kept it at home.
There the six-year-old student took the gun and put it in his backpack.
It is a 9mm pistol made by Taurus.
He aimed at the teacher during class and then fired once.
The woman assumed a defensive posture and the bullet hit her in the chest through her hand.
After the shot, an employee of the school ran into the room and held the six-year-old.
He fought back.
The badly injured teacher brought all the children out of the classroom.
No one was injured except her.
Police Chief Drew said surveillance video showed she didn't leave the classroom until all the students had left.
He called one a "hero" and said, "I think she saved lives."
It is not yet clear why the boy fired.
Shortly after the crime, Police Chief Drew said the crime was preceded by an "argument" between the teacher and the student.
Now Drew said he had to "clarify" his statements and spoke of an "interaction."
He did not provide further details, but said there was no fight or other physical altercation.
He reiterated that the shot was fired intentionally by the boy.
The student is in custody and is in a medical facility.
Drew said it's too early to talk about the legal ramifications for the parents.
»The right steps«
However, Virginia law prohibits storing a loaded gun where it is accessible to children under the age of 14.
School incidents involving such young shooters are also rare in the United States.
According to the New York Times, since 1970 there have been 16 cases involving shooters under the age of ten.
Six-year-olds were involved three times, and two of these three incidents were registered as accidental.
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones said he would look into the case closely.
You will "take the right steps and measures" so that something like this doesn't happen again.
The city's school superintendent, George Parker, said they were not prepared for a six-year-old to pick up and fire a gun.
The use of metal detectors is limited to secondary schools.
It may now be necessary to think about installing them in all school buildings.
jpz/dpa/AP/Reuters
