US School Was Alerted Three Times About A Six-Year-Old Pupil Who Had A Gun Before He Shot A Teacher.

Authorities at a US school were warned three times that a young pupil had a gun before he shot and wounded his teacher, a lawyer said.

Abigail Zwerner (25) was “shot purposely” in front of other students at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, after administrators ignored warnings that the six-year-old pupil posed a threat, her lawyer, Diane Toscano, said.

The warnings were made over three hours on January 6, the day of the shooting, Ms Toscano told a press conference.

She said she planned to file a lawsuit against the Newport News School District on behalf of Ms Zwerner, who was wounded in the chest.

“This tragedy was entirely preventable if the school administrator responsible for school safety had done their part and taken action when they had knowledge of imminent danger,” Ms Toscano said.

At a meeting on Wednesday evening, the school board voted five-to-one to relieve Superintendent George Parker of his duties.

He came under pressure after saying that at least one administrator was aware the boy may have had a gun on the day of the shooting.

After the vote, chairwoman Lisa Surles-Law said: “Dr Parker is a capable division leader who has served Newport News for nearly five years through some extremely challenging circumstances.

“This decision is based on the future trajectory and needs of our school division.”

Ms Zwerner was the first to tell a school administrator on the morning how the student threatened to beat up another child, but the boy was not removed from class.

In the afternoon, a second teacher who suspected the boy had a weapon did not find a gun when she searched his book bag. She told the same administrator she believed the boy had put the gun in his pocket before breaktime.

Ms Toscano said another student told a third teacher that the boy showed him a gun during a break and threatened to shoot him if he told anyone. The teacher alerted school administrators, she said.

A fourth employee who learned of the threat asked for permission to search the boy, but was denied by the same school safety administrator, the lawyer also said.

Credit: Irish Independent.