NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — In a landmark decision, a jury in Virginia has awarded $10 million to former teacher Abby Zwerner, who was shot by her 6-year-old student during a classroom incident in January 2023. The lawsuit accused Ebony Parker, a former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School, of neglecting to act upon numerous warnings regarding the child having access to a firearm.
The jury's verdict comes after Zwerner sought $40 million in damages, highlighting the severe physical and emotional injuries she endured as a result of the shooting. During the trial, Zwerner shared harrowing details about her recovery process, which included nearly two weeks in the hospital, six surgeries, and the fact that she would never fully regain use of her left hand.
The shooting incident created a profound shockwave across the Newport News community, igniting discussions about child access to firearms and school safety protocols. Zwerner's attorney emphasized that it was Parker's responsibility to take the warnings seriously and ensure a safe environment for all students and staff.
Parker did not testify in the lawsuit, and her attorney warned jurors against making judgments based on information that was only available after the incident, cautioning that the law demands evaluations based on what was known at that time.
“You will be able to judge for yourself whether or not this was foreseeable,” Parker’s attorney argued, needing to prove that the circumstances leading to the attack were not predictable.
The verdict comes at a time when Parker faces her own legal challenges, with a separate trial approaching where she faces eight felony counts of child neglect, each carrying a potential five-year prison sentence upon conviction. Additionally, the mother of the student involved has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for child neglect and federal weapons charges related to the incident.
