Virginia teacher shot by six-year-old boy says: ‘I thought I was dead’

A US teacher shot by a six-year-old pupil has said she will never forget the look on the boy’s face when he pointed the gun at her.

Abby Zwerner added the incident has changed her life and she has vivid memories and nightmares about that day.

The 25-year-old revealed during an exclusive interview with NBC: “I just will never forget the look on his face that he gave me while he pointed the gun directly at me.

“It’s changed me. It’s changed my life.”

First-grade teacher Ms Zwerner said she’s still in shock and can’t make sense of events on January 6, telling Savannah Guthrie on Today: “I’m not sure when the shock will ever go away because of just how surreal it was and the vivid memories I have of that day. I think about it daily. Sometimes I have nightmares.”

Ms Zwerner was hospitalised for nearly two weeks after being shot in the chest and left hand as she taught her class at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia.

In the moments after being blasted, Ms Zwerner said the other first-graders in her class were screaming.

She was terrified but her concern centred on the children, adding: “I just wanted to get my babies out of there.

“I think they knew as well that they had to get out of there. But they were extremely frightened and screaming.”

Ms Zwerner had trouble breathing and her vision failed. She continued: “I went to the office and I just passed out. I thought I had died.”

The shooting sent shockwaves around America, with many wondering how a child so young could get access to a gun and shoot his teacher.

The boy had fired his mother’s gun, which police said was legally purchased.

An attorney for his family has said that the firearm was secured on a closet shelf and had a lock on it.

Ms Zwerner had four operations and some days “can’t get up out of bed”.

“For going through what I’ve gone through, I try to stay positive. You know, try to have a positive outlook on what’s happened and where my future’s heading,” Ms Zwerner said.

She didn’t know it at the time, but her lung had collapsed. Doctors said the bullet could have killed her. She likely survived because she had put up her hands in defence.

“The initial gunshot went through my left hand and ruptured the middle bone as well as the index finger and the thumb,” she said. “The gunshot then went into my chest up here where it actually still remains. So I have the scar up here. And I still have some bullet fragments up here.”

Ms Zwerner intends to sue the district, according to a legal notice filed by her attorney. Newport News Public Schools did not immediately respond to request for comment.

During Tuesday’s interview, Guthrie asked Ms Zwerner what justice would mean for her.

“That’s a tough question to answer,” the teacher said.