Shocked, these relatives wait for their children in Newport News. At Richneck Elementary School, a six-year-old shot his teacher.

DLNews Crime:

In the U.S. state of Virginia, a six-year-old child shot and critically injured his teacher. The two had been arguing in a classroom on Friday afternoon when the elementary school child pulled the gun and pulled the trigger.

Multiple police units raced to the school after the shooting was reported.

The incident happened at Richneck Elementary School in the small town of Newport News (population 185,000), an elementary school with about 550 children. U.S. authorities did not say whether the child was a boy or a girl. Little is known about the victim, either. According to police, it is a woman in her thirties.

According to the report, the two were alone in the room when the trigger was pulled. Police Chief Steve Drew told WTKR that the other children were escorted into the gym by teachers after firing the shot. The six-year-old child was taken into custody by police officers. Drew also confirmed that the incident was not an accident.

Life-threatening injuries

"The most important thing now is that the children are safe," Drew told U.S. reporters. And on the teacher's condition, "Her injuries are still considered life-threatening, but the latest update we've received is that things have improved somewhat."

An investigation is now underway to determine how the child could obtain the weapon. School shootings and rampages occur time and again in the United States. Not infrequently, children also become perpetrators: only in November, a ten-year-old shot his mother (44) when she did not want to buy him expensive technology.

Critics have protested for years against the lax gun laws in large parts of the USA. Tragically, Richneck Elementary School has metal detectors, but they are only activated on certain days. So now the security concept is to be revised.

It is unclear when normality will return to the shaken school. Classes on Monday are canceled.