A Virginia judge has dismissed charges against a former assistant principal accused of ignoring warnings that a six-year-old boy had a gun, which he later used to shoot his teacher. Ebony Parker wept as the eight-count indictment was thrown out on Thursday, just one day after prosecutors rested their case.
Newport News Circuit Court Judge Rebecca Robinson ruled that Parker's actions did not constitute a crime under Virginia law. Prosecutors had alleged that Parker failed to act on multiple warnings that the student had a 9mm gun in his backpack, instead telling staff that the child's mother would soon pick him up.
The case stemmed from the January 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School, where first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest. Zwerner underwent five hand surgeries and still has a bullet lodged in her chest. The student's mother, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison for felony child neglect.
Outside court, Parker's mother said the decision was 'by the grace of God,' adding that her daughter was 'a really great educator.' Parker's attorney, Curtis Rogers, acknowledged his client may have 'made a mistake' but did not commit a crime. The defence had blamed Zwerner for failing to act on the child's behaviour before the shooting.
In November 2023, a jury awarded Zwerner $10 million in damages after concluding that Parker ignored warnings about the gun. The dismissal ends efforts to hold Parker criminally accountable for the incident.
