NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — A jury in Virginia awarded $10 million to a former teacher shot by a 6-year-old student, finding that an ex-administrator ignored several warnings about the child possessing a firearm. The decision was delivered on Thursday against Ebony Parker, a former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School.
Abby Zwerner, the teacher injured in the incident, was shot in January 2023 while seated at a reading table in her classroom. Although she sought $40 million in damages, the jury ultimately awarded her $10 million. Zwerner was hospitalized for nearly two weeks, undergoing six surgeries and losing full use of her left hand from the injuries suffered. A bullet narrowly missed her heart and remains lodged in her chest.
Despite Parker being the sole defendant in this suit, other high-ranking officials, such as the school principal and district superintendent, were dismissed as defendants previously. The case shocked both the local community and the nation, prompting a widespread dialogue on how such a young child could access a gun.
Testimony during the trial revealed Parker was informed about the 6-year-old possessing the weapon prior to the shooting, but failed to act on multiple occasions when warned about it. Zwerner’s attorney, Diane Toscano, emphasized the responsibility that educators have to ensure the safety of students and staff, stating, It’s Dr. Parker’s job to believe that that is possible. It’s her job to investigate it and get to the very bottom of it.
Parker did not testify during the trial, with her attorney arguing that the jury should avoid retrospective judgment on actions taken before the shooting. Parker faces a separate trial later this month regarding eight counts of felony child neglect, each carrying up to five years in prison if convicted. Meanwhile, Zwerner has left her teaching position and is pursuing a career as a licensed cosmetologist.
The shooting also resulted in the student’s mother being sentenced to nearly four years in prison, found guilty of felony child neglect and federal weapons charges, after it was revealed that the child accessed the gun from her purse.
