The teacher who was shot dead by her six-year-old student texted a loved one to say the boy was armed and that school officials failed to act before she was injured.
Abigail Zwerner sent the text about an hour before she was shot in Virginia earlier this month, NBC News reported.
The 25-year-old teacher from Richneck Elementary School in Newport News said the student said he had a gun in his backpack.
A source told the outlet that the text “showed her frustration”, adding: “She was frustrated because she was trying to get help with this child, for this child, and then when she needed help. help, no one was coming.”
A Newport News Public Schools spokesperson said: “Anything reported to our school leadership team regarding Richneck’s concerns from teachers and staff is part of the investigation. He is being thoroughly investigated.”
The teacher will sue the school district
Ms. Zwerner’s attorney announced that she would sue the school district.
Diane Toscano said on the day of the shooting, teachers and affected staff warned administrators that the boy had a gun on him and was threatening other students three times, ‘but the administration couldn’t be bothered’ .
She said around 12:30 p.m. that a teacher told administrators that she had taken it upon herself to search the boy’s satchelbut warned that he had the gun in his pocket.
Ms Toscano said after 1 p.m. another boy told his teacher that the student showed him the gun and threatened to shoot him, and that the teacher reported it to administrators.
Another employee then asked permission to search the boy after hearing about the gun, but ‘he was told to wait for the situation to end as the school day was almost over,’ Ms Toscano said .
Ms Zwerner had also told school administrators around 11:15 a.m. that the boy had threatened to beat another child.
Read more:
Parents of boy who shot teacher say gun was ‘safe’
Willow Crawford, left, and her older sister Ava, right, join friend Kaylynn Vestre, center, at a vigil for Abby Zwerner. Photo: AP
Police say shooting was ‘intentional’
Police Chief Steve Drew repeatedly called the shooting “intentional”, saying the boy had targeted Ms Zwerner and fired a bullet, hitting her in the hand and chest.
Ms Zwerner was hospitalized for nearly two weeks but is now recovering at home, a hospital spokesperson said.
Superintendent George Parker III said at least one administrator was told on the day of the shooting that the boy may have had a weapon, but no weapon was found when his backpack was searched.
Police said school officials did not tell them about the tip before the shooting, which happened hours later.
The boy’s mother legally purchased the gun used in the shooting, police said.
Lawyers representing the boy’s family said: “On behalf of the child’s family, we continue to pray for Mrs Zwerner and wish her a full and complete recovery.
“Our thoughts are with everyone involved.”
Last week the boy’s family said the weapon was “secure”.
They also said the boy suffered from an ‘acute disability’ and was under a care plan ‘which included his mother or father attending school with him and accompanying him to class every day. “.
The week of the shooting was the first that a parent was not in class with him, the family said.
