6-yr-old who shot teacher in US won't be charged: Prosecutor

Washington, March 9

A six-year-old boy who shot his teacher at a school in the US state of Virginia will not be charged because "the child is too young to understand the legal system".

The incident had taken place on January 6 at the Richneck Elementary School in the city of Newport News, about 112 km south of the state capital Richmond, the BBC reported.

Speaking to NBC News on Wednesday, Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney Howard Gwynn said that his office would not seek charges against the boy, adding that the "prospect that a six-year-old can stand trial is problematic" .

"Our objective is not just to do something as quickly as possible... Once we analyse all the facts, we will charge any person or persons that we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt committed a crime," he was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the 25-year-old teacher Abigail Zwerner is suing the school district after she was shot through her hand and upper chest following what police described as an "altercation" with the first-grader.

According to the police, the child brought the gun in his backpack and the firearm was legally purchased and belonged to the child's mother.