A former Virginia elementary school assistant principal is set to go on trial, accused of ignoring warnings that a student brought a loaded gun to school, leading to a classroom shooting that stunned the nation.
The Incident
Ebony Parker, once an assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, faces eight felony child neglect charges tied to the January 2023 shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner. Prosecutors say each charge represents one of the eight bullets loaded into the gun carried by a 6-year-old boy.
If convicted, Parker could face decades behind bars. Court documents accuse her of showing a "reckless disregard for human life" by allegedly ignoring repeated warnings from school staff that the child had a gun in his backpack before the shooting erupted.
The Trial
The explosive trial began Monday in Newport News. Zwerner was sitting at a reading table when the child allegedly pulled the trigger. The bullet ripped through her hand and chest, narrowly missing her heart. She survived after nearly two weeks in the hospital and six surgeries. Doctors say she still does not have full use of her left hand, and the bullet remains lodged in her chest.
Incredibly, despite her devastating injuries, Zwerner managed to usher terrified students out of the classroom before collapsing in the school office.
Warnings Ignored
According to testimony and lawsuits, multiple school employees warned Parker about the weapon hours before the shooting. One reading specialist reportedly alerted administrators after students claimed the boy had a gun. Attorneys for Zwerner say Parker failed to search the child or call police despite the alarming reports.
Previous Legal Actions
Last year, a jury sided with Zwerner in a civil lawsuit, awarding her $10 million in damages after concluding Parker ignored the danger. Parker was the only defendant remaining after a judge dismissed the school superintendent and principal.
The child's mother has already been sentenced to nearly four years in prison on child neglect and federal gun charges. Investigators say the boy later told authorities he climbed onto a dresser to grab the firearm from his mother's purse before taking it to school.
Now, all eyes are on the courtroom as prosecutors attempt to prove school officials could have stopped one of the most shocking classroom shootings in U.S. history if someone had acted in time.
