NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Court TV) — Students who witnessed a 6-year-old classmate shoot their teacher are now pursuing their own lawsuit against the former assistant principal, who is accused of failing to act on warnings about the gun.
Defendant Ebony Parker appears in court during her civil trial on Oct. 29, 2025. (Court TV)
Emily Brannon, representing multiple students from the January 6, 2023, shooting at Richneck Elementary School, announced the lawsuit on Court TV as the legal fallout continues from the incident that left teacher Abby Zwerner severely injured.
MORE | Abby Zwerner v. Ebony Parker: 1st Grader Shoots Teacher Civil Trial
The students’ lawsuit against Dr. Ebony Parker follows a jury’s award of $10 million to Zwerner last week, which found Parker liable for ignoring multiple warnings throughout the day about the student possessing a weapon.
“These children were traumatized by what they witnessed,” Brannon said. “They have a right to seek accountability for the harm they suffered.”
The students’ case is separate from both Zwerner’s successful civil lawsuit and the criminal charges Parker faces. Parker is scheduled to appear in court on November 17 for her criminal trial on a felony child neglect charge.
During testimony in the civil proceedings, the court heard how Parker received at least four separate warnings about the student having a gun, but took no action. School counselor Rolonzo Rawles testified that he asked Parker for permission to search the student after another child reported seeing bullets and being threatened.
MORE | ‘I thought I had died’: Abby Zwerner details being shot by 6-year-old
Reading specialist Amy Kovac also testified that she reported the student’s concerning behavior to Parker, who acknowledged it but failed to take action.
Photo by: Scripps News Norfolk
The shooting occurred around 2 p.m. when the 6-year-old pulled a gun from his jacket pocket and shot Zwerner. The bullet traveled through her hand and into her chest, causing life-threatening injuries that required multiple surgeries.
Parker’s defense maintains that the shooting was unprecedented and unforeseeable, arguing that no one could have predicted a 6-year-old would bring a loaded weapon to school.
The student had a documented history of behavioral issues, including an incident where he allegedly choked another teacher.
Parker was terminated from her position following the incident. She had served as assistant principal at Richneck Elementary, where she was responsible for student discipline and safety protocols.
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