Zwerner, who taught at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, was shot in the chest and hand as she sat at a reading table in her classroom. She later filed a lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, claiming Parker failed to act after multiple staff members raised concerns that the young student had a weapon on campus.

After about five and a half hours of deliberation, the jury sided with Zwerner, awarding her $10 million in damages. Zwerner’s attorneys, Diane Toscano and Kevin Biniazan, said the verdict underscored the importance of accountability and school safety.

> “What happened at Richneck Elementary was wrong and should never be tolerated,” Toscano told reporters. “Safety has to be the first concern at every school.”

Parker’s defense argued that no one could have predicted a first grader would bring a gun and shoot a teacher, calling the event “unthinkable and unforeseeable.”

A Case That Could Set a Precedent

The verdict may shape future legal debates about who bears responsibility when children gain access to firearms and commit acts of violence in schools. According to education data, there have already been 64 school shootings in the U.S. this year, including 27 at K-12 schools.

The case also offers a preview of Parker’s upcoming criminal trial, where she faces eight counts of felony child neglect. Legal experts say it’s uncommon for a civil case to be tried before a related criminal one, but this sequence could provide prosecutors with insight into how Parker’s defense plans to argue her case.

> “It’s unusual to see the civil case go first,” said Darryl K. Brown, a law professor at the University of Virginia. “But it gives the defense a look at what evidence might surface in the criminal trial.”

Lawyers Argue Over Responsibility

Zwerner’s legal team emphasized that Parker’s main responsibility was campus safety, arguing that she failed to investigate reports about the potential gun.

> “A gun changes everything,” Biniazan said in court. “You stop what you’re doing and get to the bottom of it — the backpack, the pockets, whatever it takes.”

But Parker’s attorney, Sandra Douglas, countered that Zwerner never personally reported any concerns and that school safety was a shared responsibility among all staff.

> “This was a tragedy that no one could have foreseen,” Douglas told jurors. “Please don’t compound that tragedy by blaming Dr. Parker for something she could not have predicted.”

An expert witness for the defense, Dr. Amy Klinger, testified that Parker did not violate safety standards or act with negligence.

Zwerner’s Emotional Testimony

Zwerner gave an emotional account of the day she was shot and the struggles she continues to face nearly two years later.

> “I thought I was dying. I thought I had died,” she said tearfully.

She described ongoing pain and limitations in her hand that make even simple tasks difficult. Her lawyers said the trauma has deeply affected her personal life, leaving her distant from friends and family.

The defense sought to question the extent of her suffering, noting she has since completed cosmetology school and attended public events. But Zwerner’s attorneys maintained that those activities don’t diminish the lasting physical and emotional scars.

What Comes Next

Attorneys from both sides will meet Friday for post-trial motions, and Parker is expected to appeal once the final judgment is entered. Her legal representation was provided by the Virginia Risk Sharing Association (VRSA), the insurance pool for local governments and school systems.

VRSA declined to comment on the verdict, and Parker’s attorneys have not responded to media inquiries.

As Parker’s criminal trial approaches, the civil verdict sends a strong message about school accountability and the legal consequences of ignoring potential threats. For Zwerner, it’s a partial measure of justice after a moment that changed her life forever.