RICHMOND, Va. — A woman is facing charges after a young boy brought a loaded gun to his preschool.
A staff member at Maymont Preschool in Richmond discovered it in his backpack on Monday afternoon.
Richmond police officers confiscated the weapon. No one was hurt.
34-year-old Valentine Christian of Chesterfield is charged with allowing access to firearms by children. Police said Christian is a family member of the boy. Our news partners at WWBT 12 On Your Side report the child is only 3 years old.
Richmond Public Schools released the following statement:
"During dismissal, a staff member found a weapon in a student’s bag at Maymont Preschool. The weapon was immediately reported to Care and Safety, and Richmond Police were called in. There were no injuries to students or staff.
"Safety and security is a top priority of Richmond Public Schools, and we take incidents like this extremely seriously. We strive to build a safe, positive, and healthy culture at all our schools. We ask for parent, caregiver, and community support in promoting safe and healthy behaviors, and in reporting any concerning behaviors or reports so that we can address in a timely and safe manner."
The incident calls to mind the 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. In that incident, a 6-year-old student brought a gun to school and shot his first-grade teacher, Abby Zwerner.
Zwerner survived the shooting and is currently suing the school division over the events that led up to the shooting.