Virginia Teacher Wins $10 Million Lawsuit After Being Shot by 6-Year-Old Student
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A Virginia elementary school teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student has been awarded $10 million in damages after a civil jury found school administrators guilty of gross negligence for ignoring multiple warnings that the child had brought a gun to class.
The jury sided with Abigail Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, who suffered serious injuries to her hand and chest after being shot by her 6-year-old student on January 6, 2023.
Zwerner’s legal team argued that the incident could have been prevented if the school’s former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, had taken action when staff members raised concerns that morning.
Jury Finds Gross Negligence by School Administration
According to court testimony, several teachers and staff members had informed Parker that students were claiming the boy had a gun in his backpack. Despite repeated warnings, no immediate action was taken to remove the weapon or search the child.
Zwerner was later shot during class, in front of other students, in what officials called a preventable tragedy. She filed a civil suit against the Newport News School District, claiming administrators failed to uphold their duty to ensure student and teacher safety.
“This was an act of negligence that no educator should ever have to experience,” Zwerner’s attorney said after the verdict. “Multiple people raised the alarm, and nothing was done until it was too late.”
Assistant Principal Failed to Act Despite Warnings
Testimony from multiple witnesses confirmed that teachers had expressed concerns about the child’s behavior throughout the day. One instructor said she directly told Parker that the student had shown other kids the weapon and threatened to use it.
Another teacher testified that she relayed the same warning after a student told her the boy had a gun. According to the lawsuit, Parker dismissed those concerns and allowed the class to continue.
The shooting left Zwerner permanently injured and emotionally traumatized. She underwent multiple surgeries and months of rehabilitation before stepping away from teaching.
Legal and Public Response
Jurors found the school’s inaction amounted to gross negligence, awarding Zwerner $10 million in damages for medical costs, lost wages, and emotional suffering.
Education advocates have since called the verdict a wake-up call for schools nationwide, emphasizing the importance of taking every safety report seriously — particularly when it involves possible weapons.
The Newport News School District has not yet commented on whether it plans to appeal the ruling.
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