Former Virginia assistant principal charged with shooting teachers

A former Virginia assistant principal is facing child neglect charges after prosecutors say he ignored warnings that a 6-year-old student had a loaded gun before the child shot his teacher in 2023.

Jury selection began Monday in Newport News in the trial of Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School. Parker, who pleaded not guilty, faces eight counts of child neglect in connection with the shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, according to the Associated Press.

Prosecutors said several school staff warned Parker that the student might have a gun, but he failed to take action before the incident happened, the newspaper reported.

Parker's defense argued that he was unfairly blamed for the broader failure that preceded the shooting.

LAWYER SAYS VIRGINIA SCHOOL FAILED TO WARN BEFORE 6-YEAR-OLD STUDENT WAS SHOT.

Prosecutors brought one count for each of the eight bullets fired in the gun. If convicted, Parker could face up to five years in prison on each count, the AP reported.

The shooting happened on January 6, 2023, when authorities say a 6-year-old student shot Zwerner while he was teaching.

He was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and underwent six surgeries after a bullet narrowly missed his heart. He still has limited use of his left hand, according to the AP.

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Former Richneck Elementary School teacher Abby Zwerner looks back in court during her trial in Newport News, Virginia, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot)

In November 2025, a judge awarded Zwerner $10 million in a civil lawsuit against Parker, alleging that the former administrator dismissed concerns that a student might have brought a gun to school.

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital at the time, Zwerner's legal team said the decision marked “a huge step forward in Abby's long road to healing.”

During the previous trial, Parker's lawyers said the shooting was “unpredictable” and said he had no legal duty to protect Zwerner from the attack.

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Students return to Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, on Jan. 30, 2023. (Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot)

Zwerner is expected to testify in the criminal trial, the AP reports.

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Authorities say the child found the gun in his mother's purse after climbing on top of the dresser. Previously, the student's mother was sentenced to almost four years in prison.

Fox News Digital's Julia Bonavita, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.