School where boy shot teacher reopens with added security
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — The Virginia 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.
Richneck Elementary School in Newport News opened its doors more than three weeks after the Jan. 6 shooting. Police have said the boy brought a 9 mm handgun to school and intentionally shot his teacher, Abby Zwerner, as she was teaching her first-grade class. Zwerner, 25, was hospitalized for nearly two weeks but is now recovering at home.
Several police cars were parked at the school as teachers arrived.
The sign in front of the building read "Richneck Strong" and was framed by two red hearts. Other signs along the sidewalks read, "We are praying for you," "You are loved" and "We believe in you."
Students were greeted by a line of police officers, Mayor Phillip Jones, and other adults who gave them high-fives as they walked into the school.
Jennifer Roe and her fourthgrade son, Jethro, were among the first to arrive. She said they saw a therapist after the shooting.
"He's excited to get back to school. He's missed it. He was ready to go back the Monday after (the shooting). He's very resilient," Roe said.
"There are concerns, of course," she said. "We talked through it. His therapist gave me a thumbs-up and said he's good."
Jethro said he still had some concern "it might happen again," but that the increased security make him feel better.
"I'm still a little nervous, but I've calmed down a lot," he said. "I'm also happy (to return to school)."
Melissa McBride, who brought her fourth-grade twins to school, said one of them wasn't sleeping that well after the shooting. She said they felt better after attending an open house at the school last week.
"They saw the metal detectors and that was a comfort," she said. "It was a calm atmosphere. It was huge to see their friends and everybody being happy."
McBride said she was comforted when she saw the twins "going into school with no hesitation," but that she was still "a little nervous."
Many parents walked their children into the school, but Jordan Vestre said his third-grade son, Jaxon, asked if he could walk in alone. Vestre said he gave Jaxon a hug and "stood back a little teary-eyed and watched him highfive all the police officers and the mayor."
Vestre said he and his son have come a long way since the day of the shooting, when Vestre got an alert on his phone while he was at the grocery store. When Jaxon reunited with his family that day, "We were a mess," Vestre said.