A 6-year-old boy shot and wounded a teacher on Friday at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, police reported, prompting consternation from local officials who vowed to find answers and prevent such an event from happening again.

The injury to the teacher, a woman in her 30s, was considered life-threatening, though she had shown some improvement in the hospital, Police Chief Steve Drew told reporters.

Guns in America. A 6-year-old boy is arrested in Virginia after taking a gun to school and deliberately shooting his first grade teacher. The unidentified female teacher is in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/E7t9vERh1i

— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) January 7, 2023
There was no further explanation for how a 6-year-old acquired the handgun. Police described it as an “altercation” in the first-grade classroom that resulted in one shot fired.

“This was not an accidental shooting,” Drew said, adding that the boy was in custody.

No students were injured. They were moved to a gymnasium for their safety, and counsellors were made available, he further revealed, adding that students were reunited with their parents under a school escort.

Breaking: A teacher was shot inside Richneck Elementary School this afternoon in Newport News, Virginia.

No students were hurt, and the suspect is in custody, officials said.

No word yet on the teacher’s condition.

Here’s a look at the scene from my colleagues on the ground. pic.twitter.com/U9GcaYBKVo

— John Cowley IV (@JohnCowleyIV) January 6, 2023
School Superintendent George Parker said all school campuses are equipped for random metal detector searches but they were not deployed at Richneck Elementary on Friday.