In January 2023, a 6-year-old boy brought a handgun to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, and shot his first-grade teacher, Abigail Zwerner, in the classroom, wounding her in the hand and chest. Prosecutors charged former assistant principal Ebony Parker with eight felony counts of child neglect, alleging she ignored multiple warnings that the student had a gun in his backpack that day.
On May 21, 2026, during the fourth day of Parker’s criminal trial, Circuit Judge Rebecca Robinson dismissed all charges. The judge ruled that Parker’s actions, while potentially negligent, did not constitute a crime under Virginia law, granting a defense motion to strike the case.
The incident prompted national discussions on school safety protocols, administrator accountability, and how schools handle young children with behavioral issues or weapons. A related civil lawsuit resulted in a $10 million award to the injured teacher.
