Key Metrics
13.54
Heat Index-
Impact LevelMedium
-
Scope LevelLocal
-
Last Update2025-11-06
Key Impacts
Positive Impacts (3)
Negative Impacts (2)
Event Overview
A case of gross negligence in a school setting, where an educator was shot by a young student. The incident highlights the critical importance of heeding warning signs and the severe consequences of failing to act on them, leading to significant financial compensation for the victim.
Collect Records
Virginia Teacher Awarded $10 Million in Lawsuit After Being Shot by 6-Year-Old Student
A jury awarded Abigail Zwerner, a first-grade teacher, $10 million in damages plus interest after she was shot by a 6-year-old student at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, on January 6, 2023. The jury found that the former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, ignored warning signs that the student had brought a gun to school, which was deemed an act of gross negligence. The shooting could have been prevented if the warnings had been heeded. The trial included testimonies from teachers and Zwerner's mother, and the jury deliberated for six hours over two days. The incident resulted in injuries to Zwerner's hand and chest.