Recently released video reveals police bodycam footage from an incident involving a six-year-old boy who shot his teacher.
The footage, made public by Newport News police on Tuesday, shows officers arriving at a classroom in 2023 after the incident involving the child, who is referred to in court proceedings as J.T., as reported by The Virginian-Pilot.
In the video, Officer Brian Torrez walks into the classroom and sees J.T. being held by the reading specialist, Amy Kovac.
Kovac informs the officers, “The gun is there. He just admitted he had one.” Reports later indicated that the weapon had seven additional rounds.
A deputy mentioned finding the gun on the far side of the room, which elicited an outburst from the boy, who began shouting profanities.
“Both y’all want a fucking piece of me, bitch?!” J.T. yelled, to which Kovac responded by asking him to calm down.
“Fuck you, bitch,” he shot back.
The officers chose to leave the gun where it was and communicated via radio that they had the shooter.
Kovac told the officers about a prior warning she had given to the assistant principal about a threat, prompting J.T. to say, “That n**ga retired last year.”
She then briefed the officers on J.T.’s circumstances, explaining that he had been following a modified school schedule and this was his first week without his mother in class with him, with plans for her to pick him up later.
Kovac mentioned that she called 911 after hearing the gunshot and found the teacher injured and bleeding.
At this point, J.T. gestured rudely at Kovac.
One officer inquired if they had smaller handcuffs, while Kovac asked if she could remain in the room.
“You can stay for now,” Torrez replied. “If you feel comfortable.”
J.T. claimed he wasn’t hurt but when asked about the gun, he referred to it disrespectfully, saying, “It’s over there, whore.”
Kovac told him to stop speaking that way, adding, “That’s not how we speak to each other.”
“Fuck you,” J.T. responded multiple times.
Then, an audible noise suggesting a punch happened, but Torrez’s hand obscured the camera. Kovac later testified to having been struck by the boy.
“You’re done,” she said as she got up, with police leading the boy out of the room.
The footage became evidence in the May trial of former Richneck assistant principal Ebony Parker, who faced eight counts of child neglect, but those were later dismissed by a Circuit Court judge.
Following this, the Daily Press and The Virginian-Pilot sought to unseal the video, citing First Amendment rights, and were allowed to publish it with the stipulation that J.T.’s face be obscured.
J.T. is currently residing with his great-grandfather. His mother, Deja Nicole Taylor, recently completed a prison sentence related to child neglect and providing false information during a gun purchase.
The teacher, Abby Zwerner, narrowly avoided a life-threatening injury, with a bullet still lodged in her chest. She spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, underwent multiple surgeries, and has not regained full use of her left hand, according to PBS News.
Zwerner was also awarded $10 million in a lawsuit against Parker, as reported by PBS News. She recalled her traumatic experience, stating, “I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven. But then it all got black.” Eventually, she realized she was injured and received help from co-workers.
