Virginia faculty board votes to exchange embattled superintendent after 6-year-old boy shoots trainer

The Newport Information College Board on Wednesday voted to exchange its embattled superintendent amid the persevering with fallout from a 6-year-old boy capturing his first-grade trainer this month.

The board voted 5-1 to take away George Parker III as the top of the district of about 26,500 college students.

Michele Mitchell was named interim superintendent.

Parker declined remark by a district spokesperson Wednesday.

Mark Anthony Garcia Sr., a father or mother of a second-grade scholar at Richneck Elementary College in Newport Information the place the boy shot his trainer Jan. 6, stated Wednesday earlier than the varsity board assembly that it was time for Parker to maneuver apart.

“It is time for any person else to step up in his place,” he stated, citing safety lapses at Richneck that occurred previous to the capturing. He added that Parker is “a part of the issue.”

College ‘did not act’ after warnings, lawyer says

Abigail Zwerner, 25, was critically wounded in her hand and chest when she was deliberately shot, Newport Information police stated. However she nonetheless managed to securely escort about 20 college students out of the classroom on the elementary faculty, officers stated.

“I consider she did save lives, as a result of I don’t know what else may need occurred if these children would have stayed in that room,” Newport Information Police Chief Steve Drew had stated throughout a information convention.

Zwerner texted a liked one earlier than she was wounded that the boy was armed and that college officers had been failing to behave, based on a supply near the scenario. The supply on Tuesday stated Zwerner despatched the textual content about an hour earlier than she was shot, writing that the scholar stated he had a gun in his backpack and Richneck directors weren’t serving to.

On Wednesday morning, Zwerner’s lawyer, Diane Toscano, held a information convention and stated three academics went to the varsity administration concerning the boy’s conduct the day of the capturing. The academics reported the scholar was believed to have had a gun on campus, she stated.

Zwerner first went to a faculty administrator between 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. and stated the scholar threatened to beat up a classmate, Toscano stated. A second trainer went to a faculty administrator at 12:30 p.m. and informed the administrator the trainer took it upon herself to look the 6-year-old boy’s backpack.

“The administrator downplayed the report from the trainer and the potential for a gun,” Toscano stated.

A 3rd trainer informed an administrator shortly earlier than 1 p.m. that the boy confirmed a scholar the gun at recess and “threatened to shoot him if he informed anyone,” Toscano stated.

A fourth worker requested an administrator for permission to look the boy and was denied, she stated.

The administrator informed the worker to “wait the scenario out as a result of the varsity day was nearly over,” Toscano stated.

She stated the “administration couldn’t be bothered” and the tragedy was “fully preventable” if it “had taken motion once they had data of imminent hazard. However as an alternative, they did not act and Abby was shot.”

Toscano stated she plans to convey forth a lawsuit on Zwerner’s behalf.

The information of the direct warning from Zwerner comes after Parker stated at a digital city corridor this month that the boy had come to high school late and that his ebook bag was inspected upon his arrival on the workplace to check in, based on dad and mom who watched the assembly.

“Not less than one administrator was notified of a doable weapon,” Parker stated in a video reviewed by NBC Information.

A district spokesperson couldn’t be instantly reached for remark about Toscano’s allegations.

College students set to return to high school Monday

Drew has stated that the kid’s mom legally purchased the 9 mm Taurus firearm used within the capturing and that the boy took the gun from his house. Whether or not it was correctly secured is a key aspect within the investigation, he has stated.

Drew informed NBC Information that the investigation entails trying into the boy and his father or mother’s historical past. He additionally stated scholar witnesses will probably be interviewed.

“If there are any youngster protecting service data, we need to take a look at these. If there are any faculty data coping with behavioral points or something in any respect, coping with violence, threats,” these stories may also be investigated, he stated.

The household of the boy launched an announcement final week from their lawyer, James Ellenson. The household stated the gun was secured when it was taken by the kid from the house.

“Our household has at all times been dedicated to accountable gun possession and maintaining firearms out of the attain of youngsters. The firearm our son accessed was secured,” the assertion stated.

It additionally stated the boy is disabled.

“Our son suffers from an acute incapacity and was below a care plan on the faculty that included his mom or father attending faculty with him and accompanying him to class every single day. Moreover, our son has benefitted from an in depth neighborhood of care that additionally contains his grandparents working alongside us and different caregivers to make sure his wants and lodging are met. The week of the capturing was the primary week after we weren’t in school with him. We’ll remorse our absence on at the present time for the remainder of our lives.”

The assertion added that after the capturing, the boy has been in a hospital receiving the “therapy he wants.”

Richneck has been closed because the capturing. College students are set to return Monday. When it reopens, the elementary faculty will probably be outfitted with a steel detector.