Virginia teacher arrested after allegedly throwing 7yo student over his shoulder in class. Police say the boy suffered more than just a fall

A Virginia teacher has been arrested and fired after allegedly assaulting a 7-year-old student in his classroom. The boy reportedly suffered minor injuries during the incident. The incident happened on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, at around 12:40 p.m. at Prince William Academy in Woodbridge, Virginia. The school contacted police the next day after learning about the incident.

According to Us Weekly, on Wednesday, Oct. 14, officers from the Prince William County Police Department went to the academy to investigate. They learned that the young student had been injured during an altercation with his teacher.

The teacher was charged with assault and battery

Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Erin Noble said the boy told investigators that his teacher had lifted him and placed him over his shoulder. The child then fell and hit his head on an object in the classroom. He also told police that the teacher grabbed his wrist tightly, causing him further pain.

Sgt. Noble described the allegations as “very concerning,” adding that police take reports involving children’s safety at local schools seriously. After investigating the incident, officers arrested 34-year-old Shaanan Josiah Burrell, a teacher at the academy, on Oct. 16, 2026.

Burrell was charged with assault and battery. He was later released on his own recognizance and is expected to return to court for an arraignment and further proceedings. It is unclear whether he has hired a lawyer or entered a plea.

The school also fired Burrell after learning about the allegations. Prince William Academy Executive Director Guye Turner confirmed the decision in a statement. The school has not released a detailed account of what happened in the classroom.

Turner said the administration contacted the boy’s family and cooperated with police during the investigation. He did not provide further details about the incident, which remains under investigation. “Student safety is paramount at Prince William Academy,” Turner said. He added that the school does not tolerate behavior that puts a child’s safety or well-being at risk.

He remains innocent until proven guilty

School officials have declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation and the fact that the case involves a young student. Police have also not publicly explained what led to the alleged altercation between Burrell and the child. The arrest came three days after the reported incident, following the school’s decision to notify authorities. 

Investigators have not released additional information about what happened before the boy was allegedly lifted or what object he hit when he fell. It remains unclear how he plans to respond to the charge as the case moves forward.