Loaded gun found in 6-year-old Virginia student’s backpack, sheriff’s office says

ORANGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A loaded gun was found in a 6-year-old elementary student’s backpack on Monday, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Around 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16, an Orange Elementary School staff member contacted the Orange County Sheriff’s Office about a loaded gun found in the school. Soon after the gun was found, the school went into safe school mode.

According to the sheriff’s office, the SRO and School Administrator retrieved the backpack that had the gun in it.

Investigators determined a 6-year-old student brought the gun on school grounds. According to the sheriff’s office, it was discovered by an instructional assistant.

No threats were made prior to the gun being found and no one was injured. According to the sheriff’s office, no arrests have been made as of the time of reporting, but the investigation is still in process.

All students at Orange Elementary School are safe. There will be additional law enforcement at the school on Tuesday, Sept. 17.

This incident has some obvious similarities to one in Newport News, Virginia on Jan. 6. 2023. In the Newport News case, a 6-year-old boy shot his teacher, Abby Zwerner, in her first grade classroom at Richneck Elementary School. She survived. A special grand jury investigative report found security and administrative failures leading up to the shooting.

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