Abby Zwerner, the elementary school teacher who was shot by a six-year-old student in her classroom in January 2023, has been awarded $10 million by a jury in her civil lawsuit against the school’s former assistant principal, Ebony Parker.
The jury found Parker grossly negligent for failing to act on multiple warnings before the shooting at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. Zwerner was injured when the boy fired a single bullet that struck her in the hand and chest during a classroom reading session. She was hospitalized for two weeks and underwent six surgeries. The bullet “nearly missed her heart,” remaining lodged in her chest to this day, CBS News reported.
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Abby Zwerner’s Injuries and Legal Battle
Following the shooting, Zwerner resigned from her position at Richneck Elementary and continues to suffer from permanent nerve damage and loss of feeling in her left hand.
Initially, Zwerner’s lawsuit sought $40 million in compensatory damages, arguing that school administrators ignored repeated warnings about the child’s behavior and threats before the shooting occurred. The verdict against Parker holds her accountable for failing to intervene or take necessary precautions despite being notified several times on the day of the shooting that the boy may have had a gun.
According to court documents, Zwerner informed Parker earlier that day that the boy had threatened another student and appeared to be “in a violent mood. Parker reportedly did not respond to the warning. Two students also told another teacher that they saw the boy with a gun in his bookbag, and Zwerner said she saw him pull an object out and put it in his sweatshirt.
The teacher relayed this to Parker, but Parker allegedly dismissed the concern, saying the boy’s “pockets were too small to fit a handgun.” A guidance counselor later told investigators that he wanted to search the boy’s bag, but Parker ordered him not to, claiming that the boy’s mother would be picking him up soon.
The shooting took place about an hour later.
Lawsuit Details Negligence and Prior Violent Behavior
Zwerner’s legal team argued that Parker’s inaction directly contributed to the shooting, emphasizing a pattern of violent behavior by the child that the school allegedly failed to address. The lawsuit alleged that Parker knew the child had a history of violence both at home and at school.
One particularly alarming incident detailed in court documents revealed that the boy had strangled and choked his kindergarten teacher the previous school year. Despite this record, the school allowed him to return to class without additional supervision or disciplinary action, according to the lawsuit.
The jury’s verdict reflects the severity of Parker’s negligence, holding her liable for failing to ensure the safety of both staff and students.