Trigger Warning: The article mentions graphic details about gun violence.
Gun crimes isn’t new in America. We have witnessed several cases of innocent kids losing their lives to heinous acts of violence. Yet little has changed over the years. A Virginia jury has awarded $10 million to former elementary school teacher Abby Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student in her classroom in 2023.
Zwerner, a first-grade teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, filed a civil lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, accusing her of ignoring repeated warnings that the young student had brought a gun to school that day. While details of how the kid got the gun remain unknown, court documents reveal shocking details.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, at least four different individuals warned Parker about the possibility of the student having a gun before the shooting occurred. Despite those warnings, no action was taken to search the child or secure the weapon.
JUST IN | A jury awarded $10 million to Virginia teacher Abby Zwerner, who was shot by her 6-year-old student inside her classroom in 2023: https://t.co/xoLssZF207
(Photo: Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot via AP, Pool) pic.twitter.com/7mZT3PmTVj
— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) November 6, 2025
Following a lengthy court battle, the verdict came down on November 6, 2025. Zwerner initially sought $40 million in damages for the “physical pain and mental anguish” she has endured since the incident. Abby underwent multiple surgeries and went through a near-death experience that she will never forget.
During emotional courtroom testimony, Zwerner recalled the terrifying moment of the shooting. “I thought I had died,” she told the court, according to the Associated Press. “I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven. Then it all went black — and when I came to, I saw two co-workers pressing on my wound.”
While Abby’s lawyer, Diane Toscano, supported her endlessly through the case and helped her get some justice, the root cause of this terrible incident still seems to be an issue of utmost concern. Gun violence continues to claim the lives of students and teachers nationwide.
If you thought only politicians and high-profile people were targeted in mass shootings, then you are wrong. In some cases, gunmen have aimed their violence at children out of anger or revenge, and often these attacks are pre-planned, and someone from these schools is often involved. In 2024, one database reported 330 school shootings. Early data for 2025 indicated at least 91 shootings on school grounds by August.
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Penalties for gun crimes in the U.S. depend on how the weapon was used, who possessed it, and where the offense occurred. They can range from a few years in prison to life sentences or even the death penalty if a firearm was used in a murder. People convicted of these crimes could face up to 10 years in prison. ( According to Leppard Law).
Under “Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone,” one could face up to 5 years in prison and additional charges if used to threaten or harm anyone.
Consequently, in August, two children aged 8 and 10 were killed in a mass shooting incident at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. It’s essential to be self-aware and keep adults informed of any suspicious activities in schools.
As per sources, about 12 children die every day from gun violence in the country, and 32 more are injured daily, and students of color face 2–3 times higher risk of campus gun violence.
Given the statistics, Zwerner’s survival is extraordinary. As she wins the lawsuit, the assistant principal, Ebony Parker, is also facing child abuse charges in connection with the shooting, according to Virginia court records.
