Virginia school board ousts superintendent after 6-year-old boy shoots teacher

The decision follows claims from the injured teacher's attorney that staff members warned school administrators several times that day that the student was armed and making threats against other students.

By Ben Whedon

Published: January 25, 2023 7:35pm

Updated: January 25, 2023 8:05pm

The Newport News School Board in Virginia voted to remove its superintendent following a high-profile incident in which a 6-year-old student shot his teacher.

In a 5-1 vote, the board members ousted George Parker III and named Michele Mitchell as interim superintendent, according to NBC News.

The decision follows claims Wednesday from the injured teacher's attorney that staff members warned school administrators several times that day that the student was armed and making threats against other students.

Abigail Zwerner, 25, sustained significant injuries on Jan. 6 of this year when the student shot her while she was teaching at Richneck Elementary School. The student shot the teacher once, inflicting wounds to her hand and chest as the bullet flew.

"On that day, over the course of a few hours, three different times – three times – school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school and was threatening people," Zwerner's lawyer, Diane Toscano, said. "But the administration could not be bothered."

The district has roughly 26,500 students, per NBC.