Nationwide — Abby Zwerner, a former teacher from Newport News, Virginia, won $10 million in a lawsuit against her school’s assistant principal, Ebony Parker, who is Black, after being shot by a 6-year-old student in 2023. A jury found that Parker had ignored repeated warnings that the child had a gun at school.
Zwerner, who taught at Richneck Elementary School, was shot in the chest and hand while sitting at a reading table with students, according to CNN. She later sued Parker, accusing her of negligence for failing to act despite multiple reports that the child might be armed.
After more than five hours of deliberation, the jury ruled in Zwerner’s favor, holding Parker accountable for the incident. Parker’s defense was funded by the Virginia Risk Sharing Association, the district’s insurance pool, which could be responsible for paying the damages.
Zwerner’s attorneys said the verdict sends a strong message about accountability in schools. “What happened at Richneck Elementary School that day was wrong and is not going to be tolerated,” attorney Diane Toscano told reporters after the ruling.
Parker is also facing eight felony counts of child neglect in a separate criminal case set for next month. The civil trial revealed evidence that is expected to resurface in her upcoming criminal proceedings.
Legal experts said it was unusual for the civil case to happen before the criminal trial. However, they noted that the case could influence how schools and administrators are held responsible when students bring guns to class.
During closing arguments, Zwerner’s attorneys said Parker failed to properly investigate the warnings. “A gun changes everything. You stop and you investigate. You get to the bottom of it,” attorney Kevin Biniazan said, arguing that Parker should have searched the student’s belongings.
Parker’s defense argued the shooting was unforeseeable and that safety was a shared duty among staff, not just on one person. Her team maintained she did not act with negligence or indifference.
Zwerner testified that she still struggles with trauma and ongoing pain from her injuries. “I thought I was dying. I thought I had died,” she told the jury tearfully, describing how the shooting has changed her life.