Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Releases Statement in Reference to Richneck Shooting Investigation

Newport News Police Department is sharing the following statement on behalf of the Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office:

“First, let me say on behalf of myself and my entire staff that we pray for a full and speedy recovery for Ms. Zwerner.

In January of this year, the unimaginable happened in our city — a 6-year-old brought a gun to school and shot his teacher. Almost immediately, the Newport News Police Department began the thorough and painstaking work of investigating the shooting. Several weeks ago, the results of that investigation were turned over to my office, to include three binders and hours and hours of police body camera footage. In spite of the national attention that this incomprehensible act has brought to our city, our objective is the same as it has always been — to be thorough, to be objective, and to apply the law to the facts fairly and impartially. And after that analysis is done, our objective is to charge any person with any crimes that we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt.

This office has had a long-standing policy of not discussing publicly pending cases or investigations. Pursuant to that policy, this office will have no further public comment until its work is completed.”