A 6-year-old said ‘I did it’ after shooting his teacher at Virginia school, warrants say

According to recently disclosed police search warrants, a 6-year-old boy in Virginia expressed his involvement in shooting his teacher inside a classroom last January. The boy reportedly uttered statements like “I shot that (expletive) dead” and “I did it. I got my mom’s gun last night” immediately after the incident. The new court documents from Newport News reveal more information about the incident that left a first-grade teacher, Abby Zwerner, severely injured. Despite being shot in the hand and chest, Zwerner survived and is pursuing a $40 million lawsuit against Newport News Public Schools. The boy’s mother, Deja Taylor, is facing charges of felony child neglect and misdemeanor reckless firearm storage.

Six months after the event, the unsealed search warrants describe how a reading specialist heard the gunshot and witnessed children running out of the classroom. The specialist found Zwerner injured and bleeding, and upon entering the classroom, discovered the boy holding a handgun near his desk. The specialist restrained the boy until the police arrived, during which the child made statements admitting to the shooting and the source of the gun.

Police discovered a loaded 9 mm handgun on the classroom floor, along with a spent shell casing. Zwerner’s account revealed that she had organized her class into reading groups after recess when the boy suddenly pulled out the gun and shot her. The warrants also detailed an interview with Taylor, who explained her firearm storage practices.

The search warrants additionally mentioned the boy’s belongings, including his backpack with a black and white checkered design and shark images, bearing his initials. Other items seized by the police included a starfish-themed notebook belonging to Zwerner, a laptop, and a folder labeled with the boy’s name.

Zwerner’s lawsuit accuses the school system of negligence, emphasizing warnings issued by school employees before the shooting. The lawsuit highlights concerns about the boy’s behavior and asserts that school officials disregarded signs of his violent tendencies over several months. In response, the school board contends that the boy was undergoing evaluation and treatment for possible ADHD, which aligns with laws aiming to keep such children in the classroom whenever feasible.

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