A jury has awarded $10 million to former first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student inside her classroom in 2023.
Zwerner filed a lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker following the incident at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. The verdict, reported by CNN and WTKR, was reached on Thursday, Nov. 6.
The shooting left Zwerner with lasting injuries and trauma. Her lawsuit stated that she continues to experience “physical pain and mental anguish” as a result of the attack. Though she initially sought $40 million in damages, the jury ultimately granted her $10 million.
“Abby was shot by a six-year-old student, and she will never be the same,” Zwerner’s attorney, Diane Toscano, previously said in a statement. “She has endured four surgeries and still has a bullet lodged inside her.”
During the trial, Zwerner recounted the harrowing moment, telling the Associated Press that she believed she had died. “I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven,” she said. “But then it all got black… and my next memory is I see two co-workers around me and I process that I’m hurt and they’re putting pressure on where I’m hurt.”
The lawsuit alleged that Parker failed to take action despite multiple warnings that the student may have been armed. According to the filing, four individuals reported concerns about the child having a gun on the day of the shooting.
Parker’s attorney, Daniel Hogan, defended his client in court, telling the Associated Press, “No one could have imagined that a 6-year-old, first-grade student would bring a firearm into a school. You will be able to judge for yourself whether or not this was foreseeable. That’s the heart of this case.”
Virginia court records show that Parker also faces child abuse charges in connection with the incident.
