A school principal has been fired after a 6-year-old boy shoots a teacher in Virginia

A school superintendent in the US state of Virginia has lost his job after a six-year-old student shot and wounded a teacher earlier this month.

The school board voted 5-1 to fire George Parker just hours after the teacher's attorney announced plans to sue the district.

Abigail Zwerner, 25, was released from the hospital last week after being shot in the chest while in her classroom.

Her lawyer said on Wednesday that the shooting was "totally preventable".

Police have not announced any charges.

The Jan. 6 shooting — which authorities have described as "intentional" — rocked the Virginia city of Newport News, raising questions about what legal consequences might follow and for whom.

"That day, over the course of a few hours, three different times - three times - the school administration was alerted by teachers and staff who were concerned that the boy had a gun in the school and was threatening people," said attorney Diane Toscano.

According to Ms. Toscano, a teacher at Richneck Elementary School told an officer that she believed the boy had put a gun in his pocket before going out for recess.