Teacher Breaks Silence 2 Weeks After Being Shot by Student Transcript

The other major news this Wednesday night, the teacher who was shot by her six-year-old student, tonight, arguing the school was warned three times on that very day that the boy could have a gun and that he was making threats. Her lawyer, tonight, now revealing a chilling timeline here, also revealing the teacher still has that bullet lodged in her chest. Here’s our chief justice correspondent, Pierre Thomas, tonight.

Two weeks after she was shot by her six-year-old student in an attack that stunned the nation, teacher, Abby Zwerner is breaking her silence. Her attorney accusing the school of failing to stop the violence despite multiple warnings, the boy was dangerous.

Three times, school administration was warned by concerned teachers and employees that the boy had a gun on him at the school, but the administration could not be bothered.

That lawyer laying out a string of red flags that day, saying it was Zwerner who first reported that the boy had threatened to beat up another child.

They didn’t call security, they didn’t remove the student from the classroom.

After getting a tip about a gun, another teacher searched the boy’s backpack an hour later, but found nothing. When that same teacher warned the gun could be in a pocket, a school official allegedly dismissed the threat.

The administrator downplayed the report from the teacher, and the possibility of a gun, saying, and I quote, “Well, he has little pockets.”

A half hour later, Zwerner’s lawyer claims a third teacher reported a student who was crying because the six-year-old had threatened him with the gun during recess. But again, no action.

Did administrators call the police? No. Did administrators lock down the school? No.

Finally, Zwerner claims another concerned staffer asked to pat down and search the boy, but was denied. Told to wait the situation out because the school day was almost over. Minutes later, police say the boy opened fire with the gun he brought from his home. Mark Garcia’s eight-year-old son was down the hall and ran for cover. Garcia says, parents in the school have long voiced concerns about security.

These are red flags that we raise as parents before, and now we’re actually hearing it and understanding that these red flags are actually real.

The parents of the six-year-old suspect say he suffers from an acute disability, and claim the shooting occurred during the first week he attended class without a parent. But tonight, Abby Zwerner remains at home healing. We learned today, that bullet is still lodged in her chest.

The road to full recovery will be long. The psychological wounds cut deeply and remain fresh.

And Pierre Thomas with us here tonight. Pierre, we heard from parents worried about school security, we saw them line up to speak at the district’s school board meeting, and tonight I know there’s another urgent meeting about the leadership of the school district.

David, tonight there’s been an emergency meeting to decide the fate of the superintendent. We’ve just learned he’s been fired. As for the teacher, she’s planning to sue the school district. David.

All right, Pierre Thomas with us from Washington. Thank you, Pierre.