The civil lawsuit involving former Virginia elementary school teacher Abigail Zwerner has reached a decisive outcome, with a jury awarding her $10 million in damages after concluding that a school administrator failed to act on repeated warnings before Zwerner was shot by a six-year-old student in 2023.
The incident, which took place at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, drew national attention not only because of the age of the shooter, but also due to the troubling reports that multiple students and staff raised concerns about the presence of a firearm before the shooting occurred.
Abigail Zwerner has endured lasting physical injuries, emotional distress, and ongoing medical complications, while the case has sparked broader conversations about school safety protocols, administrative accountability, gun access in homes, and the responsibilities of school leadership. The result of the lawsuit may now stand as a significant legal reference point for future cases involving school violence and systemic negligence.
Background of the Incident and Legal Claims
On 6 January 2023, Abigail Zwerner was teaching a first-grade reading class when a six-year-old boy removed a 9mm handgun from his hoodie pocket and fired a single shot. The bullet struck Zwerner in her hand and chest. Despite the severity of her injuries, she managed to guide her students out of the classroom to safety before collapsing and being transported for emergency medical care. The gun was reported to have jammed after the shot, leaving six remaining rounds in the magazine.
In the aftermath, police determined that the boy had taken the firearm from his home, where it was kept inside his mother’s purse on top of a dresser. The child told investigators that he climbed on a drawer to access it. The mother, Deja Taylor, had previously claimed that the gun was secured with a trigger lock, though investigators stated that no lock was ever located. Taylor was later sentenced to 21 months in prison on federal firearm charges related to unlawful possession and making false statements during purchase.
Abigail Zwerner filed a lawsuit alleging that the school’s administration, particularly Assistant Principal Ebony Parker, failed to act on urgent warnings that could have prevented the shooting. The complaint stated that multiple students told teachers and staff that the boy might have had a gun. Two female students reported that the gun was in his backpack, and another student claimed he was shown the weapon during break.
Abigail Zwerner’s attorneys argued that Parker’s failure to respond to these escalating alarms demonstrated gross negligence and reckless disregard for the safety of students and staff. During trial proceedings, Zwerner’s legal team emphasized that school staff recognized the risk in real time and attempted to relay their concerns to Parker, who allegedly declined to authorize a search or implement any protective action. Attorneys described the situation as one in which warning signs were not only present, but impossible to reasonably ignore.
A jury awarded $10 million to former first grade Virginia teacher Abby Zwerner, who was wounded after being shot by a 6-year-old student in 2023, in a civil case that accused the school's former assistant principal of ignoring multiple warnings the day of the shooting.… pic.twitter.com/wjdiGGM3Td
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) November 7, 2025
Parker’s defense argued that the shooting was unforeseeable and unprecedented, claiming that no administrator could reasonably be expected to predict that a six-year-old student would carry and fire a gun. Her attorneys asked jurors to avoid evaluating the situation through hindsight, insisting that different staff members also had opportunities to intervene.
The jury ultimately determined that the failure to act on student reports constituted negligence and awarded Zwerner $10 million in damages, though the original lawsuit had sought $40 million. Whether insurance coverage will apply to the damages remains subject to post-trial review, given that Parker was insured under a policy associated with the Newport News school board.
Implications for School Safety and Administrative Responsibility
The case has highlighted critical questions about the duty of care owed by school officials when confronted with reports of weapons on campus. While schools regularly conduct drills, adopt threat assessment protocols, and rely on reporting systems, the effectiveness of those measures depends heavily on the willingness of administrators to act swiftly and decisively.
In this instance, Abigail Zwerner’s attorneys asserted that teachers and students followed proper procedures by reporting their concerns. The breakdown occurred at the administrative level. Trial testimony indicated that at least three reports of a suspected firearm were made before the shooting, providing what Abigail Zwerner’s legal team described as multiple opportunities to intervene. This raises key considerations for how schools evaluate and escalate safety threats, even those involving very young children.
Further complicating the issue is the age of the shooter. School shootings involving children under the age of 10 are extraordinarily rare. This atypical circumstance formed the basis of Parker’s defense, which portrayed the event as unforeseeable. However, the jury’s verdict suggests that even if the act itself was unexpected, the reported presence of a weapon created a duty to act that was not fulfilled.
School districts across the United States may now reexamine threat reporting systems and staff training to ensure that potential risks are not dismissed due to assumptions about the age or typical behavior of students involved. The case also reinforces the necessity of clear internal communication procedures so that faculty reports are immediately evaluated at the administrative decision-making level.
This outcome also underscores the degree to which school liability can extend beyond general safety policies and into individual administrator accountability. While Parker faces a criminal trial on charges of child abuse and neglect, the civil verdict alone may prompt school districts nationwide to reassess the legal vulnerabilities associated with internal response decisions during emerging safety threats.
Broader Effects on Parental Responsibility and Firearm Access Laws
The incident has also contributed to the ongoing conversation surrounding parental responsibility in cases where minors access firearms and cause harm. Prosecuting parents for gun-related actions committed by their children remains relatively uncommon, though it has occurred more frequently in recent years as gun violence among minors has continued to prompt public and legal concern. In this case, the mother’s sentencing in 2023 reflected a judicial response to the circumstances under which the child obtained the firearm.
Investigators concluded that the gun was not secured with the safety device the mother claimed to have used, raising questions about compliance with safe-storage practices. While many states have laws encouraging or requiring secure firearm storage, enforcement and oversight present ongoing challenges. This case will likely contribute to debates regarding how gun access in homes should be regulated, monitored, and enforced, particularly in households with young children.
Legal experts have noted that the civil and criminal actions associated with this case could influence how future incidents of school-related shootings are prosecuted, especially where school staff or parents are alleged to have had prior awareness of risk. The legal outcomes may establish precedents that determine the degree to which responsibility is shared among educational institutions, caregivers, and gun owners.
Additionally, the case has prompted discussion about the broader support systems required for children who display behavioral concerns that may pose safety risks. While the court proceedings focused on administrative negligence, the shooting itself exists against a backdrop of school mental health challenges, resource disparities, and systemic pressures that affect students, teachers, and staff.
The civil judgment awarding Abigail Zwerner $10 million reflects recognition of the physical harm, pain, emotional trauma, and lasting medical complications she continues to endure. She has undergone multiple surgeries to repair damage to her hand and still retains a bullet lodged in her chest, reflecting how the consequences of the shooting are ongoing. Her attorneys expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating that it represents accountability for preventable failings at multiple levels of oversight.
The criminal trial of Ebony Parker, scheduled to begin next month, will focus on whether her decisions meet the legal definition of child abuse or neglect. Meanwhile, the broader implications of the verdict will continue to shape discussions of school safety, incident response protocols, parental firearm storage responsibilities, and how systems can be strengthened to prevent similar incidents.
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