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A six-year-old boy who shot a teacher in Virginia, USA, has been arrested by police, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News shortly after 2 p.m. local time, said Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew.
It’s not clear how Kid Kai got the gun. But Steve Drew said the incident was not an “accidental shooting.”
The name of the teacher, who suffered life-threatening injuries, has not been released. He is said to be in his 30s.
He was taken to a local hospital and is being closely monitored by doctors. The incident took place after an argument between the teacher and the boy in a class one (ages six to seven) classroom.
But Steve Drew insisted the shooting was an isolated incident. Also, the authorities stressed that “there is no situation where anyone would carry a gun and shoot in a school.”
Officials said that while the school, which has about 550 students, had facilities to detect iron, the testing of students was done randomly and not every child was fully screened.
Police, who declined to name the gun used in the incident, said the boy used a handgun.
School District Superintendent Dr. George Parker said, “Officials will look into any events that may have led to this incident. It’s terrible. Such an incident should never happen. We want to ensure that nothing like this happens again,” he said.
He said the school will be closed on Monday and assured that students and parents will be given the necessary support to face and cope with the traumatic event.
Mayor Phillip Jones was sworn in three days ago. “This is a dark day for the city of Newport News,” he said.
“We will learn from this and come back stronger,” he told reporters.
Virginia Governor Glenn Young has said he will provide assistance to local officials. And his administration, he said, is “ready to help in any way it can.”
“I am continuously monitoring the situation. Also, praying for the continued safety of all students and the community,” he tweeted.
Newport News is a city of about 180,000 people. It is located about 112 km south of the state capital Richmond.
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