Former Assistant Principal Faces Trial for 2023 School Shooting Incident

A former assistant principal is in court to face a criminal trial related to a 2023 school shooting incident. The case involves a 6-year-old student who shot a teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia.

Details of the Incident

Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal, is charged with eight counts of child abuse and neglect. The charges relate to a January 6, 2023, incident where a student brought a firearm to school and shot teacher Abigail Zwerner in the hand and chest. Following the incident, Parker resigned from her role.

Legal Proceedings

Last year, a jury ruled that Parker was liable for ignoring signs that the student had a weapon, awarding Zwerner $10 million. Parker’s current trial involves criminal charges linked to the same incident. A grand jury report accuses Parker of failing to protect the children in Zwerner’s classroom. The report details warnings from staff and students who believed the boy had a gun on the day of the shooting.

Reports and Testimonies

Zwerner’s legal team argued that there were school protocols requiring Parker to address threats once informed. Reports indicate that another student saw the firearm on the playground and notified a teacher. However, when a teacher requested to search the student, Parker allegedly refused the request.

The child’s mother, Deja Taylor, received a prison sentence for related charges. She was sentenced to two years for felony child neglect and faced additional federal charges related to firearm ownership.

Upcoming Trial Events

The current trial is expected to last three days. If Parker is acquitted, Zwerner’s civil award could remain intact; however, a guilty verdict might give insurers grounds not to pay the award.

Conviction on the child abuse charges could lead to a maximum 40-year prison sentence for Parker.