Mother of 6-year-old suspect who shot his teacher could face charges, police say
The mother of a 6-year-old boy who allegedly shot his teacher at a Newport News, Virginia, elementary school could be facing criminal charges, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said Tuesday.
"I think that is certainly a possibility," Drew told CNN This Morning. "We need to check with the school system on any behavioral issues they might have and put those together. ... At the end of the day, when that's all compiled together and the facts and what the law supports, the Commonwealth's attorney will make the decision if there are any charges [for the mother]."
Newport News made national headlines last week when police say the unidentified boy at Richnick Elementary School shot his teacher, 25-year-old Abigail Zwerner, who remains in the hospital in stable condition. According to Newport News police, the weapon, a 9mm handgun, had been legally purchased by the boy's mother, and the boy brought it to school from home. The shooting was not deemed accidental, and authorities are working to discover the suspect's motive.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Andrew Block, a professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, told CNN it was "incredibly unlikely" that the boy himself would be prosecuted. "It's virtually impossible to imagine that a 6-year-old would meet either of the criteria necessary to find competency," Block added.
In terms of the boy's mother, Block said that "it's hard to know if there's criminal liability or not, and who should have it" without the full context of the shooting.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
5 timely cartoons about climate change denial
Cartoons Artists take on textbook trouble, bizarre beliefs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Kris Kristofferson: the free-spirited country music star who studied at Oxford
In the Spotlight The songwriter, singer and film-star has died aged 88
By The Week UK Published
-
The Chagos agreement explained
In Depth Ceding the islands to Mauritius could allow China to gain foothold in the Indo-Pacific, experts have warned
By The Week UK Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 21, 2024
Daily Briefing Palestinian death toll reportedly passes 25,000, top Biden adviser to travel to Egypt and Qatar for hostage talks, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 20, 2024
Daily Briefing Grand jury reportedly convened to investigate Uvalde shooting response, families protest outside Netanyahu's house as pressure mounts for hostage deal, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 15, 2024
Daily Briefing Freezing Iowa caucuses to mark first voting of 2024 election, subzero temperatures place stranglehold on much of US, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 14, 2024
Daily Briefing Israel and Hamas mark 100th day of war, GOP candidates campaign on final day before Iowa caucuses, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 13, 2024
Daily Briefing Winter storm blankets large swath of northern United States, more than 30 Palestinians killed during overnight airstrike in Gaza, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 7, 2024
Daily Briefing White House reportedly left unaware of defense secretary’s hospitalization, Biden to deliver State of the Union address on March 7, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: January 6, 2024
Daily Briefing Supreme Court to rule on Trump being kept off 2024 presidential ballots, Hezbollah fires rockets toward Israel following Hamas leader’s death, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
10 things you need to know today: December 17, 2023
Daily Briefing Putin rejects Biden's claim that Russia will attack NATO, Israel ramps up bombardments of Gaza overnight, and more
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published