Former Virginia Teacher Awarded $10 Million After Being Shot by Student

A former teacher in Virginia has been granted $10 million following her lawsuit against the ex-vice principal of Richneck Elementary School and the Newport News School Division after an incident in which she was shot by a six-year-old student.

The jury delivered their verdict on Thursday regarding the civil case brought by Abigail Zwerner.

“It’s incredibly affirming to hear from a jury that agrees this tragedy could’ve been avoided… we’re grateful that Abby’s story was heard,” Zwerner’s legal team remarked post-verdict.

Zwerner, who taught first grade at Richneck Elementary, suffered gunshot wounds to her hand and chest from her student back in January 2023, when she was just 25 years old.

She had initially filed for $40 million against the former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, along with the school district.

“Honestly, I believed I was dying,” Zwerner stated during her testimony. “I thought I had already died.”

Her attorneys called 16 witnesses, including an expert on school administration, who testified that Parker failed to act despite being aware of prior reports indicating the child had a gun in school.

The bullet remains in Zwerner’s chest, with doctors indicating it will likely stay there due to potential risks involved in removal.

The closing arguments concluded on Wednesday. Parker’s defense claimed that it was impossible to anticipate that a six-year-old would bring a firearm to school.

“Nobody could foresee that kind of outcome with such a young child,” said attorney Sandra Douglas. “Zwerner herself expressed shock upon encountering the gun, as she didn’t expect it to be real.”

However, Zwerner’s lawyer, Kevin Biniazan, argued that Parker disregarded critical warning signs.

“For an hour and a half, there were clear signals that something could happen if action wasn’t taken,” Biniazan asserted. “You shouldn’t need hindsight to recognize what’s ahead.”

This verdict comes as Parker faces eight felony counts of child neglect, with a criminal trial set to begin on November 17.

In related news, the mother of the boy who shot Zwerner, Deja Taylor, has already received a two-year prison sentence for charges related to neglect and weapons.