NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — First, it was two students shot and injured at Heritage High School.
Then, a high school junior was killed after a basketball game in the parking lot of Menchville High School.
Most recently, a 6-year-old student shot his Richneck Elementary School teacher in the chest. She is at home recovering.
After these three shootings on Newport News school campuses in 16 months, Newport News Education Association President James Graves said something has to change.
"We’re making sure that our teachers are being heard," he said.
That's why Graves wants lawmakers in Richmond to pass four laws regarding guns.
While the Democratically-controlled Senate wants to advance these bills, it is unlikely any action on them will come out of the Republican-led House in an election year. House delegates have already set aside several bills: SB1139, SB1067, SB1181, and SB1192.
If there's any hope for progress, it may be Senate Bill 1139, which would require homes with children to have firearms and ammunition locked in separate containers.
Graves said that law could have stopped the Richneck shooter from bringing his mother’s loaded gun to school. That bill was also set aside by the House.
"Let’s say a child finds a weapon, but not the ammo. That saves a person’s life."
He is urging lawmakers not to wait until the next tragedy strikes.
"We need to jump ahead of things. We shouldn’t have to wait for an incident or intentional incident to happen in our community," he said.
Everyone in the General Assembly is up for re-election this fall, which will likely complicate any legislation to restrict access to firearms.
We reached out to Governor Glenn Youngkin's office for comment on the renewed calls to address gun violence. On Wednesday, Youngkin's spokeswoman Macauley Porter issued a statement saying:
"As the governor has said, Virginia has some of the toughest gun laws in America. The governor's approach is twofold: addressing the behavioral health challenge in the Commonwealth through a $230 million behavioral health plan that delivers help when people need it and supporting legislative efforts to enhance penalties for crimes committed with guns."