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Halfway through class, there was a bang: a six-year-old pointed the gun at his teacher Abigail Z.*, 25, and pulled the trigger. The student caused life-threatening injuries to the young woman.
The shock, which police say was not an accident, happened in January at an elementary school in the town of Newport News, Virginia. The boy put his mother’s gun in his backpack and took it to school.
Now Abigail Z. is suing the school board. The teacher is seeking $40 million in damages. The accusation: the school did not adequately protect them.
Messages ignored
The 20-page indictment, available to People magazine, says the school’s management ignored several tips. Thus, it should have been known that “there was a firearm on the school grounds and that it was in the possession of a violent person”. Z. told her superiors that the six-year-old had been particularly rude that day.
Another teacher allegedly pointed out that the six-year-old was armed. At first glance, however, there was nothing to be found in the backpack. According to the lawsuit, the school authorities refused the teacher’s request to search the child.
“I Think About It Every Day”
After the crime, Z. underwent four operations. The shot passed through her left hand, breaking the middle bone as well as the index finger and thumb. Then the cartridge went into her chest. “I’m not sure if the shock will ever go away. I think about it every day,” Z. said in a TV interview with NBC News. The school has not yet commented on the shock act.
School incidents involving such young shooters are also rare in the United States. Since 1970, there have been 16 cases involving shooters under the age of ten, according to the New York Times. Three of these involved six-year-olds and two of these three incidents were recorded as an accident. (Darling)
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Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
