A jury in Virginia has determined that a former elementary school administrator is liable for $10 million in the shooting death of a first-grade teacher at the hands of a 6-year-old student.
The teacher, Abigail Zwirner, is suing Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal at Rich Neck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, for gross negligence. Zwirner claims Parker ignored multiple warnings about the child possessing a gun and displaying concerning behavior on the day of the incident.
During the first three days of the trial, the jury, consisting of seven members, heard testimonies from 16 witnesses. These individuals recounted the day’s events and the emotional impact it had on Zwirner, who still carries bullet fragments in her body.
Zwirner, who was 25 and had just two and a half years of teaching experience, told jurors she felt she was dying after the child pulled out a 9mm handgun and shot her in the hand and chest.
“Guns change everything,” remarked Zwirner’s attorney, Kevin Biniazan, during closing arguments. He emphasized how dramatically this incident altered Zwirner’s life.
Biniazan highlighted that it was Parker’s responsibility to follow up on reports from students about the boy possibly having a firearm that day. He pointed out that Parker had three chances to search the child for a weapon but failed to do so, despite concerns raised by three other staff members.
Parker’s attorney, Sandra Douglas, countered in her closing remarks that no one could have anticipated such an event, insisting it was unimaginable that a child would be able to bring a gun to school and use it against a teacher.
Douglas noted the student was dropped off at school by his mother, who inadvertently allowed him access to a firearm. She described the shooting as “unforeseen, unthinkable, unprecedented.”
Defense arguments claimed that Parker became a scapegoat for a broader range of failures by the school staff leading up to the shooting.
“Someone has to take the blame,” Douglas said. “They chose to blame Ebony Parker.”
Parker’s side brought in two witnesses. One was a medical expert who dismissed prior assessments indicating Zwirner was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder since the incident, while the other testified that Parker’s actions were in line with safety standards.
Parker faces charges of child abandonment related to the shooting but did not testify in her defense.
The jury began its deliberations on Wednesday afternoon.
The 6-year-old boy has not faced any criminal or civil charges. However, his mother, Dejah Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison in 2023 for child neglect after her son accessed a handgun from her purse.
Parker is set to go on trial for the criminal case next month and has pleaded not guilty.
