Abigail Zwerner, a Former Virginia school teacher shot by a six-year-old student, wins $10M against her ex-assistant principal
Jury awards $10 million to Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old student
Abigail Zwerner, the Virginia schoolteacher who was shot by her six-year-old student, has been awarded $10 million by a jury following her negligence lawsuit against a former school administrator.
The verdict concludes a harrowing case that captured national attention after Zwerner accused her former assistant principal of ignoring repeated warnings that a firearm was present on school grounds.
Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, filed suit against assistant principal Ebony Parker, claiming Parker disregarded multiple reports from staff and students that a young boy might have a gun on campus before the January 2023 shooting.
Authorities later confirmed that the boy had taken a 9mm handgun from his home, hidden it in his backpack, and brought it to school. During class, he pulled out the weapon and fired a single shot at Zwerner, hitting her in the hand and chest. Despite her injuries, Zwerner heroically led her students to safety before seeking medical help. She has since undergone five surgeries on her hand and still carries a bullet lodged near her chest.
During the trial, Parker’s attorneys argued she could not have anticipated the shooting, describing it as an unimaginable and unprecedented event. They insisted that other teachers and staff also had opportunities to intervene and that Parker should not bear full responsibility.
Zwerner’s legal team, however, painted a starkly different picture. They contended that Parker exhibited gross negligence and reckless disregard for Zwerner’s safety, ignoring escalating reports that the boy had a weapon. The lawsuit initially sought $40 million in damages.
According to trial testimony, multiple first-grade students told staff members that the boy was armed — two said the gun was in his backpack, while another child said the boy had shown him the weapon during a recess break.
“The warning signs were flashing right in front of her,” said Kevin Biniazan, one of Zwerner’s attorneys. “They were screaming at her to act, and she ignored them.”
The incident occurred on January 6, 2023, as Zwerner was seated at a table during a reading lesson. The student reportedly pulled the gun from the front pocket of his hoodie and fired a single round. The weapon jammed afterward, leaving six bullets still in the magazine.
Defense attorney Sandra Douglas, representing Parker, urged jurors to evaluate the situation based on “real-time judgments, not hindsight.” She argued that what happened was “unforeseeable, unthinkable, and unprecedented,” emphasizing that Parker had no way of predicting that a six-year-old would commit such an act.
Following the jury’s decision, Zwerner’s attorneys expressed relief and satisfaction with the outcome, saying their client finally received justice after enduring immense physical and emotional suffering.
One of her lawyers told ABC News that Parker was covered by an insurance policy through the Newport News school board, though the matter will be further addressed in post-trial proceedings.
Meanwhile, Parker is also facing criminal charges of child abuse and neglect, with a separate trial scheduled for next month.
The shooting also led to charges against the boy’s mother, Deja Taylor, who was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison in 2023. Taylor was convicted of possessing a firearm while using a controlled substance and making a false statement during the gun’s purchase.
Investigators said Taylor’s son accessed the firearm by climbing onto a drawer to reach her purse on top of a dresser. Taylor told authorities the gun was secured with a trigger lock, but investigators reported finding no lock attached.
The tragic case — and the multiple legal proceedings it has spawned — highlight an emerging question in the United States: how far should parents, educators, and administrators be held accountable in preventing school shootings? As more courts weigh similar cases, the outcomes could establish significant precedents for responsibility and safety protocols in America’s classrooms.
I was relieved that the teacher was awarded 10 million dollars. She's been through hell and needs the support and compensation. It's beyond troubling that a six year old was so angry with his that he actually decided to shot her. It's hard to believe that he could hold and fire the weapon. Little kids don't act like that. That child needs a lot of help and supervision.
I am all for holding parents responsible for their children's use of gun violence. Guns are not toys. They are deadly weapons. The Founders could never have imagined how accurate and deadly that modern weapons have become. Gun ownership is more than self defense. It's intimidation. If someone decides to own a deadly weapon, they must be required by law to secure it so that it can't be accessed by an unauthorized person or child. Holding gunowners responsible for crimes committed with their guns is one way of reminding them that great responsibility comes with the right to own a gun! The consequences for not securing their gun should be severe!
How in the hell did a 6 year old student illegally got easy access to a gun and shot the former Virginia school teacher?! where were the 6 year old parents??! why didn't that 6 year old parents took their own gun and put it where their 6 year old child couldn't get no easy access?!? or unless if one of the parents or both illegally taught their own child to become a killer! both of the child's parents should be immediately investigated indicted criminally prosecuted convicted on all counts!! and sentenced to either death penalty or life in prison without parole!!! I say give both of them life without parole, the 6 year old should be immediately taken away from both of his or her stupid racist fascist sexist disgusting creepy authoritarian parents, that 6 year old should seek mental health professional help!!!! ban outlaw mass shootings nationwide make it illegal and a crime nationwide forever.