Prosecutor gets case involving 6-year-old who shot teacher

Students return to Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Va., on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. The elementary school where a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher reopened Monday with stepped-up security and a new administrator, as nervous parents and students expressed optimism about a return to the classroom. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

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NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Detectives in the Virginia city where a 6-year-old shot his teacher have finished their criminal investigation and turned it over to the local prosecutor's office for review, the police chief for Newport News said Tuesday.

Chief Steve Drew spoke about the case during a Facebook live chat, although he offered few details.

The boy used his mother's 9mm handgun , police have said.

Police said the mother's gun was purchased legally. The parents' attorney, James S. Ellenson, .

Drew said his department's investigation was turned over Tuesday morning to the local prosecutor, known as the Commonwealth's Attorney, who will determine if any charges will be filed.

“I totally understand people would like to have a case open and shut — that’s just not what we have here,” Drew said.

Drew described a complicated investigation that involved coordinating interviews with first-graders, which required permission from their parents as well as the expertise of a child psychologist. Detectives also had to interview teachers and follow up on various leads as new information came to light.

Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard E. Gwynn told The Associated Press that the city's detectives handed over three binders of information to his office. Those files do not include the body camera footage of dozens of police officers who responded to the shooting. That video will also be reviewed.

“It's a lot of information and we’re going to carefully review it as we do in every case,” Gwynn said.

Legal experts have said that even though it is theoretically possible under Virginia law to criminally charge a 6-year-old child, there are numerous obstacles to doing so and it’s highly unlikely that any prosecutor would even try.

But adults could be held accountable. For example, a Virginia law prohibits leaving a loaded gun where it is accessible to a child under 14, a misdemeanor crime punishable with a maximum one-year prison sentence and a $2,500 fine.

The shooting . The school system in the school where the shooting occurred, while .

Zwerner before coming home to continue her recovery. Her attorney has sent the school district . So have .

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