By Mirna Alsharif and Dennis Romero -
NBC News
The Virginia school district where a 6-year-old boy allegedly intentionally shot a teacher on Friday has had three cases of gun violence at its schools in the past 17 months.
Police say a 6-year-old boy seriously injured a teacher at Richneck Elementary School when he opened fire in a classroom.
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James Madison University identified the injured teacher as Abby Zwerner, a graduate of the school.
A person by the name of Abigail Zwerner is listed on Richneck's website as a first grade teacher.
University President Jonathan R. Alger said in a statement that the campus, nearly 200 miles northwest of Newport News, was "deeply saddened by the report of the tragic shooting of JMU alumna Abby Zwerner."
Newport News Public Schools and the city's police department have declined to identify the teacher, citing privacy concerns.
A sign with Happy New Year wishes is seen at Richneck Elementary School on January 7.
A 6-year-old boy is suspected of shooting a female teacher in a school classroom on Friday. Jay Paul / Getty Images
Prior to Friday's incident, there were shootings at two other schools within the Newport News Public Schools system that rocked the community.
In September 2021, a 16-year-old fired multiple shots in a crowded hallway at Heritage High School during lunchtime, wounding two 17-year-olds, according to NBC affiliate station WAVY in Portsmouth, Virginia.
The shooter was sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to the outlet.
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Less than two months later, in December, 18-year-old Demari Batten fatally shot 17-year-old Justice Dunham in the parking lot of Menchville High School after a football game against Woodside High School, also within the High School system. Newport News Public Schools, according to WAVY.
Newport News Public Schools has 26,500 students and includes three early childhood centers, 24 elementary schools, seven middle schools and five high schools, according to the district's website.
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Parents ask for action
Molly Hunter, whose three children attend an elementary school in the district, said Newport News Public Schools' response to the violence has been insufficient.
“The response from the District has made parents like me feel that the violence that is occurring within schools is not being adequately addressed,” he told NBC News.
“I think the district is working hard;
they have had difficulty staffing our schools.
It seems they are on edge and the violence issues are out of control."
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According to Hunter, it's easier to say what to do when it comes to addressing gun violence in the district, but he believes actions like installing metal detectors, having the right staff and mental health counselors, as well as policies of stricter visitors in schools can help.
“Also, sensible gun laws!
It's that we need a review of so many things,” Hunter said.
“Parents like me are tired and scared, but also ready to fight for the safety of all of our students.”
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District Superintendent George Parker III did not immediately respond to requests for comment, but issued a message Saturday night to families and district staff asking for community support in reducing the chance that a child have access to a weapon.
“A six-year-old student with access to a gun brought it into his first grade classroom,” Parker said.
“There are many concerns that we will need to look into before we can determine if any additional preventative measures would have affected the likelihood of this incident occurring,” the official said.
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Hunter isn't the only Newport News Public Schools mother who believes metal detectors on campus can help address the problem of gun violence.
Hanan Daoud, who also has children within the school district, agrees.
“Sorry is not enough!” Daoud said of the school district's social media post referring to Friday's shooting.
“What is your plan to stop this drama?
Put metal detectors in the school!” he wrote.
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Daoud told NBC News that she felt "paralyzed" after hearing that there was a shooting in the school district on Friday.
“One of my friends called me to check on my children, he was shopping,” Daoud said.
"She was scared to death, I left the store and called my husband to see where the shooting was."
The incident did not occur at the school Daoud's children attend, but it was a traumatic event that scared parents and students alike, he said.
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At a press conference on Friday night, Parker said: "We have metal detection capability at all of our schools."
But he explained that the devices are not used all the time and can be activated before a certain date based on a specific threat.
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“If we sense a threat or problem, we administer random metal detection on those days,” he said.
“We can check individual classrooms or individual students,” she said.
Parker said the use of metal detectors could increase and district leaders will discuss the matter.
Richneck Elementary School will be closed this Monday and Tuesday in response to the latest shooting.
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Richneck Principal Briana Foster Newton shared mental health resources with the school community Saturday night to support students after the incident.
“The tragic event that occurred on Friday deeply impacts all of us,” he said.
"My thoughts and prayers remain with our teacher who was seriously injured, and our students and staff, who are dealing with the aftermath of this tragedy."
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Without naming the victim, Newport News police said in a statement that Chief Steve Drew met with her and her family Saturday morning.
Both the police department and the Riverside Regional Medical Center, where the woman was recovering, said Saturday that she had been stabilized.
“She has improved,” police said in the statement.
"Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we will not release any further information at this time."
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In her message to families and staff Saturday night, Parker assured the district has plans and procedures in place for emergencies, and praised the quick action by police, sheriff's deputies and fire department personnel to put out the situation and treat the victim in Richneck.
“While no amount of planning can guarantee that a tragedy like this won't happen;
Please know that our collective efforts and preparation resulted in prompt medical care for our faculty member, no injuries to students, and a safe and efficient reunification process for our families and students,” Parker said.
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"A red alert for the country"
Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones called the shooting "a red alert for the country," according to the AP news agency.
“I think after this event, there will be a nationwide discussion about how these kinds of things can be prevented,” he said.
In a tweet, Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said he was "deeply disturbed" by the shooting and was "closely monitoring the situation."
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“My thoughts are with all the families and first responders,” he wrote.
It is unclear at this time if the 6-year-old is still in custody or if he has an attorney.
Authorities have not yet commented on where the boy might have obtained the weapon, which police described as a pistol.
Newport News Commonwealth's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.