Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old awarded $10M in lawsuit battle over ignored gun warnings

A Virginia assemblage awarded an simple schoolhouse teacher changeable by her 6-year-old pupil $10 cardinal successful damages successful the landmark civilian lawsuit against a schoolhouse administrator, with some sides sparring implicit who was liable for alerting officials that a kid was successful possession of a weapon connected schoolhouse grounds.

The result comes aft Abigail Zwerner, a now-former teacher astatine Richneck Elementary School, filed a $40 cardinal suit against ex-assistant main Ebony Parker alleging Parker dismissed concerns regarding a pupil perchance bringing a weapon to school. 

"This verdict is simply a large measurement guardant successful Abby’s agelong roadworthy of healing," Zwerner's ineligible squad said successful a connection to Fox News Digital. "It confirms what we’ve said from the opening — what happened wrong Richneck Elementary was incorrect and volition ne'er beryllium tolerated. When the City of Newport News and its schools failed to support their teachers, students, and citizens, we held them accountable done the courts. Now it’s clip for the City to guarantee Abby receives the justness this verdict represents."

TWO TEACHERS SAY VIRGINIA SCHOOL IGNORED WARNINGS BEFORE 6-YEAR-OLD SHOT EDUCATOR

Former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner looks backmost into the courtroom during her civilian suit trial, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, successful Newport News, Va. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, Pool)

Zwerner’s ineligible squad alleged the dismissal resulted successful their lawsuit being changeable successful the thorax and manus connected Jan. 6, 2023. The slug narrowly missed Zwerner’s bosom and remains lodged successful her chest.

In closing arguments connected Wednesday, Zwerner’s attorney, Kevin Biniazan, blasted Parker’s alleged nonaccomplishment to respond to repeated reports that the kid was successful possession of a weapon connected schoolhouse grounds.

"A weapon changes everything," Biniazan said, according to WAVY. "You halt and you investigate."

Zwerner’s squad reportedly added that Parker allegedly ignored aggregate attempts by schoolhouse module to pass her astir the child’s behaviour starring up to the shooting.

VIRGINIA TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEAR-OLD STUDENT 'THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD' AS BODYCAM EMERGES

However, Parker’s attorney, Sandra Douglas, argued that her lawsuit utilized "real-time judgement, not hindsight judgements" successful the moments starring up to the shooting, according to the outlet.

"Your occupation is to see lone what Dr. Parker knew astatine the time," Douglas reportedly told the jury.

Parker’s lawyer went connected to question Zwerner’s grounds successful court, looking to poke holes successful her claims of becoming a "recluse" aft the shooting, the outlet reported.

"I’m not minimizing what happened to Ms. Zwerner, I’m not doing that," Douglas said. "But erstwhile idiosyncratic is asking for $40 million, it’s my occupation to archer you, determination is different broadside to that story."

TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEAR-OLD TELLS JURORS SHE NEVER PULLED CHILD FROM CLASS AS DEFENSE EXPERTS BACK OFFICIALS

Abby Zwerner, a teacher who was changeable astatine Richneck Elementary School successful Newport News, Va., by her 6-year-old pupil past year, talks to newsman Peter Dujardin, connected Wednesday successful Virginia Beach, Va. (Stephen M. Katz /The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

However, Biniazan argued successful his rebuttal that Zwerner’s intelligence authorities has been profoundly impacted by the shooting, pointing to her beingness expectancy being reduced to conscionable 53 years arsenic a result.

"When you're deciding what's just and what's fair, you're not conscionable deciding time and what mightiness hap the adjacent day," Biniazan said, according to WTKR. "We don't get to travel backmost present successful five, 10, 15 years and bring you each unneurotic and inquire Ms. Zwerner, ‘How are you doing? Are you inactive waking up astatine nine? Do you inactive spot that face?’"

Last week, Zwerner, who was 25 astatine the clip of the shooting, weighed successful connected the events’ interaction connected her affectional and intelligence authorities portion connected the stand.

ATTORNEY SAYS VIRGINIA SCHOOL MISSED WARNINGS BEFORE 6-YEAR-OLD SHOT TEACHER

"The past happening I retrieve astatine the school, I thought I was dying. I thought I had died. I thought I was either connected my mode to eden oregon successful heaven," Zwerner told the court. "Then it each went black. So, past I thought I wasn’t going there."

In summation to the civilian lawsuit, Parker is besides facing a transgression proceedings connected 8 felony counts of kid neglect – 1 complaint for "each of the 8 bullets that endangered students" successful Zwerner’s classroom, according to prosecutors.

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The child’s mother, Deja Taylor, is presently serving a two-year situation condemnation aft pleading blameworthy to kid neglect and weapon charges.

Neither Zwerner’s nor Parker’s lawyer instantly responded to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.