Wounded Virginia teacher walked her students to safety after she was shot by 6-year-old

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

The Virginia elementary teacher who police say was intentionally shot by a 6-year-old student is being hailed as a hero who saved lives by escorting her students out of the classroom while wounded.

Abigail Zwerner was struck Friday while teaching her class, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said Monday at a news conference. "The 6-year-old child displayed a firearm, pointed it at her and fired one round," Drew said. "There was no physical struggle or fight. She was providing instruction to her class."

The bullet went through the teacher's hand and into her upper chest, "but she was still able to get all of her students out of that classroom," he said.

"She made ... sure that every one of those students was safe."

More at https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wounded-virginia-teacher-walked-students-safety-was-shot-6-year-old-of-rcna64938

This should not be allowed to sink in media coverage.

[dchill]

1. K&R!

[Samrob]

2. Kick!

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Tom Yossarian Joad

[senseandsensibility]

4. Does not surprise me at all

and I agree about the coverage. Today on CNN they showed a prayer vigil outside the school, and while I don't know who they were praying for, the journalist only mentioned the children in the class. Of course they were victims too, and I don't object to anyone praying for them, but shouldn't the teacher be prayed for as well? She wasn't even mentioned in the report.

[TigressDem]

32. I saw it earlier on a few news feeds.

I wonder if they are also praying for the 6 year old.

He was interviewed with his Mother. The gun was legally purchased and he took it from their home.

Child Services decided the kid needed to be hospitalized as he fully intended to shoot the teacher. There is something seriously wrong about a 6 year old doing that.

They say serial killers exhibit weird behaviors from a young age, like taking wings off insects, torturing animals in other ways.

Maybe it's a strange parallel to the mind of a "young engineer" where kids will be curious and take things apart to see how they work.

Maybe with those who become serial killers they want to see what happens when a gun shoots someone and their young mind doesn't understand death, especially if in the video games everyone gets another life.....

[onecaliberal]

5. Recommend

[no_hypocrisy]

6. HERO

[niyad]

11. SHERO!

[Cha]

7. Abigail Z is Amazing!! TY

[TomSlick]

8. Of course she did. She's a teacher.

If they can remain upright and move, a teacher's first instinct will be to protect students.

We don't deserve the service provided by teachers. They certainly are not paid commensurate with the service they provide.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

16. Agreed. I know many teachers and each are remarkable human beings.

[Jarqui]

9. Of course, the GOP would have preferred she had an Uzi and blew the 6 year old away ... nt

[SergeStorms]

20. A good teacher with a gun....

that kind of thing. She could spray the entire class, just to be sure she got all the potential shooters.

Wasn't that one of the gun-humper's "solutions" to school shootings? Yeah, arm the teachers. Anything to sell one more gun.

[niyad]

10. Heartsick KNR. What is her condition now? I hope the parents of that 6 year old

shooter have to pay all her expenses. . and the therapy for all the other students and their families.

[H2O Man]

12. Recommended.

I saw this reported on the news today. Intense story of an amazing teacher.

The case also needs attention on the other end. It is a measure of where our society is now.

Thank you for this!

[bronxiteforever]

13. Abby is courageous and an example of the best of humanity

Last edited Mon Jan 9, 2023, 09:46 PM - Edit history (1)

It’s a damn shame that we had to find this out because she was shot in her own classroom by a six year old.
Instead of Americans vilifying teachers, we should should be asking “do we deserve people like this”

[OldBaldy1701E]

14. Yep.

Protect my child. Babysit my child. Raise my child (but don't say or do anything I don't like, because you should know). And, do it on a pittance, because you should be kissing my ass in gratitude for letting you near my golden child in the first place. Who in the hell do you think you are for asking for better pay for such a glorious job?

[Sancho]

15. People Control, Not Gun Control

This is my generic response to gun threads where people are shot and killed by the dumb or criminal possession of guns. For the record, I grew up in the South and on military bases. I was taught about firearms as a child, and I grew up hunting, was a member of the NRA, and I still own guns. In the 70’s, I dropped out of the NRA because they become more radical and less interested in safety and training. Some personal experiences where people I know were involved in shootings caused me to realize that anyone could obtain and posses a gun no matter how illogical it was for them to have a gun. Also, easy access to more powerful guns, guns in the hands of children, and guns that weren’t secured are out of control in our society. As such, here’s what I now think ought to be the requirements to possess a gun. I’m not debating the legal language, I just think it’s the reasonable way to stop the shootings. Notice, none of this restricts the type of guns sold. This is aimed at the people who shoot others, because it’s clear that they should never have had a gun.

1.) Anyone in possession of a gun (whether they own it or not) should have a regularly renewed license. If you want to call it a permit, certificate, or something else that's fine.
2.) To get a license, you should have a background check, and be examined by a professional for emotional and mental stability appropriate for gun possession. It might be appropriate to require that examination to be accompanied by references from family, friends, employers, etc. This check is not to subject you to a mental health diagnosis, just check on your superficial and apparent gun-worthyness.
3.) To get the license, you should be required to take a safety course and pass a test appropriate to the type of gun you want to use.
4.) To get a license, you should be over 21. Under 21, you could only use a gun under direct supervision of a licensed person and after obtaining a learner’s license. Your license might be restricted if you have children or criminals or other unsafe people living in your home. (If you want to argue 18 or 25 or some other age, fine. 21 makes sense to me.)
5.) If you possess a gun, you would have to carry a liability insurance policy specifically for gun ownership - and likely you would have to provide proof of appropriate storage, security, and whatever statistical reasons that emerge that would drive the costs and ability to get insurance.
6.) You could not purchase a gun or ammunition without a license, and purchases would have a waiting period.
7.) If you possess a gun without a license, you go to jail, the gun is impounded, and a judge will have to let you go (just like a DUI).
8.) No one should carry an unsecured gun (except in a locked case, unloaded) when outside of home. Guns should be secure when transporting to a shooting event without demonstrating a special need. Their license should indicate training and special carry circumstances beyond recreational shooting (security guard, etc.). If you are carrying your gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you lose your gun and license.
9.) If you buy, sell, give away, or inherit a gun, your license information should be recorded.
10.) If you accidentally discharge your gun, commit a crime, get referred by a mental health professional, are served a restraining order, etc., you should lose your license and guns until reinstated by a serious relicensing process.

Most of you know that a license is no big deal. Besides a driver’s license you need a license to fish, operate a boat, or many other activities. I realize these differ by state, but that is not a reason to let anyone without a bit of sense pack a semiautomatic weapon in public, on the roads, and in schools. I think we need to make it much harder for some people to have guns.

[RainCaster]

17. I love your ideas here- let's add some more

1. A minimum dollar amount must be attached to that liability policy. 6 or 7 figures at a minimum is my idea, but I'm open to others.

2. If you ever feel the desire to shoot someone else, you must promise to shoot yourself first. Fatally. Look straight in the barrel, and pull da trigga.

[calimary]

35. I love ALL these ideas!

Yours AND Sancho’s.

I especially like the idea of making it financially painful. Money is such a motivator. Cuts right to the quick.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

18. Gun control. Too many people here are too fucking stupid to have easy access to guns.

Sorry, but it gets proven nearly daily.

[AndyS]

21. Yeah but $$$$$. nt

[Ray Bruns]

30. But my FREEDUMB!

[Alexander Of Assyria]

37. For safety shouldn't the teacher have walked the students towards the Gun? Gun people?

[Rebl2]

19. I would

have sworn when this happened last week I read the teacher was shot and killed. Clearly misunderstood. Amazing she was able to escort her students out of the room afterwards.

[soldierant]

22. "This should not be allowed to sink in media coverage."

On the contrary - it should be required to sink in to every brain of every voter in the United States, including those who will be voters but are not yet old enough.

If this happened in China. they would make an opera anout it. I am not joking. There is such an opera. It is called "A Village Teacher" and it is based on a real person, a teacher who really drowned while saving all her students from a flash flood which hit while theu were returning from a field trip.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

38. In America there is little time for culture and praise for the common folk. Culture wars, plenty.

[soldierant]

40. This is true. It is also the opposite of what John Adams, for one, wanted.

[Alexander Of Assyria]

42. Sad that the fascist party stops at studying politics and war, just added propaganda and clowns.

[republianmushroom]

23. Abigail Zwerner thank you for your action, and a speedy recovery

[calimary]

24. She should be singled out for a Teacher of the Year award.

[progressoid]

25. If only she had a gun to defend herself.

[Ford_Prefect]

27. Or if one of her other students had one? If the Janitor were armed and advised to shoot in such an

emergency how many more would now be dead or injured. How many in nearby rooms would be harmed by stray shots?




The cult of angry gunmen has only one purpose....to sell more guns to those for whom anger is free speech.

[Lucinda]

26. ❤️ ✿❧🌿❧✿ ❤️

[Hermit-The-Prog]

28. First time I've seen this part of the story reported. She is truly heroic!

[IronLionZion]

29. The GOP answer will be more guns

arm the teachers, arm the kids, an armed society is a polite society, etc.

[homegirl]

31. Six year old

displayed intent. He located the weapon, concealed the weapon in order to remove it from his home, bring the weapon into the school and use it! This will be a very complicated case! Premeditated!

THE BAD SEED

[obamanut2012]

33. He is six-years-old, he is not a Bad Seed

My God.

[maddiemom]

36. AS a parent and retired teacher I'M flummoxed...

as to HOW a six year old could manage to "sneak" the gun into the school and the classroom; not bragging or showing the gun to anyone until in a position to shoot this particular teacher. We hear of children whose parents are careless and stupid enough to allow their children access to loaded guns...even if the kid may plan to shoot a particular person. The results are usually tragic. The ongoing premeditation in carrying out this incident is even more terrifying. NOT typical behavior for a six-year old who doesn't understand the consequences. This child will need a LOT of help.

[Wild blueberry]

34. Must charge parents

for allowing kid to get gun. Improper storage at least, accomplice to attempted murder at most.
Also, record of crime needs to follow kid throughout his life.

[SunSeeker]

39. K & R

[BigmanPigman]

41. I taught 1st grade for 15 years

at a large elementary school in an urban area. I worked with 7 other 1st grade teachers and we would mention a particular student every now and then since we taught all the kids through rotations/classes. Teachers often make predictions about their students and we knew a few who were likely to become very dangerous adults. You sometimes can just tell in your gut that something is "wrong" with a person, even if that person is only 6.

Teaching sucks! Do not ever encourage anyone to become a teacher!