Virginia Jury Awards $10 Million to Teacher Shot by 6-Year-Old Student

Thu Nov 06 2025 23:58:53 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Abby Zwerner, a former teacher at Richneck Elementary School, has been awarded $10 million after being shot by a student. The jury found negligence on the part of an ex-administrator for ignoring warnings about firearm access.

A Newport News jury has awarded Abby Zwerner $10 million after she was shot in the chest by a 6-year-old student. The lawsuit claimed that Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal, ignored multiple warnings about the child's possession of a handgun. Zwerner suffered severe injuries, including six surgeries and long-term physical limitations, prompting a debate about school safety protocols and accountability for administrators. Parker faces additional criminal charges related to child neglect as the investigation continues.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — A jury in Virginia awarded $10 million to a former teacher, Abby Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student at Richneck Elementary School. The jury's decision came after Zwerner accused a former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, of negligence after she reportedly ignored warnings that the child had a gun in his possession.

The incident, which took place in January 2023, left Zwerner with life-altering injuries, requiring six surgeries and extended hospitalization. She had originally sought $40 million in damages against Parker.

Several School staff had warned Parker about the student's firearm presence prior to the shooting, but no action was taken. The lawsuit emphasized Parker's responsibility to protect students and staff after being alerted to potential danger.

“Who would think a 6-year-old would bring a gun to school and shoot their teacher?” Zwerner’s attorney, Diane Toscano, asked the jury during the trial. “It’s Dr. Parker’s job to believe that that is possible. It’s her job to investigate it and get to the bottom of it.”

Despite the severe consequences of the incident, Parker did not testify in the lawsuit. Her attorney argued that it was unfair to judge Parker’s actions with the knowledge from subsequent events, emphasizing that decisions should be evaluated with the context at the time.

The shooting occurred soon after the student returned from a suspension for previous disruptive behavior. Zwerner received information about the weapon from a reading specialist just prior to recess, and hours later she was shot. Eyewitnesses reported that regardless of her injuries, Zwerner managed to evacuate her classroom during the crisis.

Parker faces separate felony charges for child neglect related to the shooting incident, which may carry a potential prison sentence should she be convicted. Furthermore, the student's mother was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for child neglect and federal weapons charges after the incident.

Zwerner has since moved on from teaching and is pursuing a career as a licensed cosmetologist.