Virginia fifth grader threatens to ‘shoot bullets’ at school where teacher was shot dead by 6-year-old

A fifth grade student at the same Virginia school where a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher last month was yanked out of class this week after threatening to “shoot bullets.”

The teen, who has not been identified, also sent text messages to classmates over the weekend saying someone should “shoot up the class,” according to a letter to Richneck Elementary School parents on Monday, NBC News reported.

“One of the students said they would ‘detonate some bullets’ and tell someone to shoot up the class,” Karen Lynch, administrator of the Newport News school, said in a letter.

“I immediately contacted the student’s parents and expelled him from the school,” Lynch said. “The police department is conducting a thorough investigation. A threat assessment is underway.

“Threats and security concerns are always taken very seriously,” Lynch wrote in the letter. “Please rest assured that all protocols are being followed and this incident is being handled accordingly.”

The student made threats while texting classmates on Saturday, and one of the teenagers reported it to his parents, who then notified the school, NBC reported.

The school was closed for Presidents’ Day on Monday, but the youngster was not allowed to return to classes when they resumed on Tuesday, the newspaper reported.

The school did not say how long the young man would be out of school.

The disturbing incident comes just weeks after a 6-year-old school student shot and wounded teacher Abby Zwerner with his mother’s 9mm pistol.

Officials said the boy, also unidentified, had an altercation with Zwerner just two days before the January 6 shooting, during which he “slammed” her cell phone.

The student was suspended for one day, and the next day she returned with a gun – she pulled out a gun and shot at Zwerner while she was sitting at the reading table.

The 25-year-old teacher survived the shooting and is still recovering, officials said, and the boy was transferred to another class at another school in the area.

“It’s a miracle that more people weren’t hurt,” Diane Toscano, the wounded teacher’s lawyer, said in a lawsuit earlier this month.

“The shooter spent the entire recess with a pistol in his pocket, a pistol that was loaded and ready to fire… while many first graders were playing.”