Former Virginia Teacher Describes Near-Death Experience After Being Shot by 6-Year-Old Student
A traumatic shooting incident that sent shockwaves through the country has finally come to light in a lawsuit filed against a former assistant principal. In January 2023, Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest while teaching at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. The young student, who is now facing criminal charges, pulled out a gun from his backpack and fired it at his teacher.
Zwerner testified that she thought she had died after being shot. "I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven," she said. "But then it all got black. And so, I then thought I wasn’t going there. And then my next memory is I see two co-workers around me and I process that I’m hurt and they’re putting pressure on where I’m hurt." Her injuries were severe, requiring six surgeries and leaving her with partial use of her left hand.
The lawsuit alleges that the former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, ignored multiple warnings about the student's access to a gun. A physician testified that Zwerner can't make a tight fist with her left hand due to the extent of her injuries.
Despite the severity of her injuries, Zwerner was able to get her students out of the classroom before passing out in the school office. The shooting has had long-term consequences for both Zwerner and Parker. Parker faces a separate criminal trial on eight counts of felony child neglect, while Zwerner is said to have no plans to teach again.
The student's mother, who had been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for her role in allowing the child to access a gun, has become somewhat of a shadow figure in the case. However, it's clear that the consequences of this incident will be felt for a long time to come.
Parker is the only defendant in the lawsuit, and her actions on the day of the shooting have been widely criticized as negligent and irresponsible. As she faces trial next month, her future remains uncertain. One thing is certain, however: this case has left an indelible mark on the lives of those affected by it.
A traumatic shooting incident that sent shockwaves through the country has finally come to light in a lawsuit filed against a former assistant principal. In January 2023, Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest while teaching at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. The young student, who is now facing criminal charges, pulled out a gun from his backpack and fired it at his teacher.
Zwerner testified that she thought she had died after being shot. "I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven," she said. "But then it all got black. And so, I then thought I wasn’t going there. And then my next memory is I see two co-workers around me and I process that I’m hurt and they’re putting pressure on where I’m hurt." Her injuries were severe, requiring six surgeries and leaving her with partial use of her left hand.
The lawsuit alleges that the former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, ignored multiple warnings about the student's access to a gun. A physician testified that Zwerner can't make a tight fist with her left hand due to the extent of her injuries.
Despite the severity of her injuries, Zwerner was able to get her students out of the classroom before passing out in the school office. The shooting has had long-term consequences for both Zwerner and Parker. Parker faces a separate criminal trial on eight counts of felony child neglect, while Zwerner is said to have no plans to teach again.
The student's mother, who had been sentenced to nearly four years in prison for her role in allowing the child to access a gun, has become somewhat of a shadow figure in the case. However, it's clear that the consequences of this incident will be felt for a long time to come.
Parker is the only defendant in the lawsuit, and her actions on the day of the shooting have been widely criticized as negligent and irresponsible. As she faces trial next month, her future remains uncertain. One thing is certain, however: this case has left an indelible mark on the lives of those affected by it.
. I mean, a 6-year-old student pulling out a gun and shooting their teacher? It's just crazy. And the fact that the kid's mom got slammed with prison time for letting him access a gun in the first place? 
That's some messed up parenting right there.
It's like she's some kind of superhero or something.
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. Six surgeries and partial use of her left hand... it's just heartbreaking. And to think she was shot by a 6-year-old student who wasn't even supposed to have access to a gun in the first place 
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. But let's not forget about Abby and the other victims in this case... they're the ones who deserve our sympathy and support 
.
I'm still trying to process what happened to Abby Zwerner, that teacher who was shot by a 6-year-old student. I can only imagine how traumatic that experience must've been for her 
. Six surgeries and partial use of her hand? That's just devastating 
. It's a miracle she's alive and kicking (well, mostly kicking 
). But what's really concerning is that the student's mother has become somewhat of a shadow figure in this case... it just makes me wonder what went on behind the scenes 
.
. And I hope Ebony Parker gets the help she needs to move forward and learn from her mistakes 
.
how did ebony parker not do more to prevent dis? shes facin trial and its all about child neglect 
i wonder whats goin thru that 6 yr olds mind rn...is it just a kid who got access to a gun or was there somethin else at play??? 
That's not just wrong, that's heartbreaking. And Ebony Parker, as an assistant principal, she should've done more to prevent this from happening in the first place.
. And Ebony Parker, as the assistant principal, should have done more to prevent this tragedy from happening 
. But she'll never be able to teach again because of what happened to her hand 
. And the student who pulled the trigger? He's going to have a long time to think about his actions before he's old enough to face justice 
.
. We can't keep putting our kids in harm's way 
And at the same time, how can we excuse or downplay the assistant principal's negligence when she knew about the student's access to a gun but chose to ignore it? 
What were the parents thinking? It's not like they're going to let their kid have a gun, right? But apparently, that little dude had access to one, and now his teacher is partially paralyzed. 
Anyway, this whole thing is just a big mess, and I'm not sure how anyone involved is going to come out of this without some serious emotional trauma. 
. I mean, a 6-year-old pulls a gun and shoots his teacher? Yeah, that's bad, but come on, it was probably just a kid having a panic attack or something 
. And what's with all the drama about Ebony Parker ignoring warnings? Maybe she's not as incompetent as everyone's making her out to be 
. I'm also surprised the teacher is giving up on teaching again after recovering from her injuries 
. She should be able to handle a little stress, right? 
And what's with all the fuss about the student's mom? A few years in prison isn't gonna kill anyone, let alone ruin everyone else's life 
.