gun violence

Mother of 6-year-old who shot Virginia teacher charged with federal gun crimes

Deja Taylor has apologized to the teacher and said she was responsible for her son’s access to the handgun

Kristen Zeis for The Washington Post via Getty Images

The mother of a 6-year-old who brought a gun to his Virginia school and shot his teacheearlier this year was charged Monday with federal gun crimes.

Deja Taylor, 25, was charged with two counts in U.S. court in the Eastern District of Virginia: an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm and making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.

She was previously indicted in April by a Newport News grand jury on charges of felony child neglect and a misdemeanor count of recklessly leaving a loaded firearm so as to endanger a child, Newport News Commonwealth’s Attorney Howard Gwynn said.

Taylor has apologized to the teacher and said she was responsible for her son’s access to the handgun, though she maintains she’s not clear exactly how he obtained it. A trial is scheduled for Aug. 15.

Police in Newport News, Virginia, say the shooting was not accidental.

For more on this story, go to NBC News.

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