Full Breakdown
Trial of Former Assistant Principal Ebony Parker Over 2023 Richneck Elementary Shooting
5/20/2026, 7:19:51 AM
Incident Overview and Charges
On Jan 6, 2023, a six-year-old student entered Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, with a handgun and fired at teacher Abigail Zwerner, wounding her hand and chest and leaving a bullet lodged near her heart. Ebony Parker, assistant principal, has been indicted on eight felony child-neglect counts, each carrying up to five years, for a total of 40 years.
Background & Context
Staff reported the child likely had a gun in his backpack. School policy required crisis reports be escalated to an administrator who must act. A counselor’s request to search the child was denied because only an administrator or security officer could conduct a search, and security officer was off-site, leaving Parker and principal with authority.
Key Figures & Groups
The individuals are Ebony Parker, former assistant principal; Abigail Zwerner, injured teacher; special prosecutor Josh Jenkins; defense attorney Curtis Rogers; Parker’s lawyer; and Deja Taylor, the child’s mother, sentenced on neglect and weapons charges. The Virginia Risk Sharing Association (VRSA) is the insurer that would fund Zwerner’s $10 million civil award if upheld.
Timeline
- Early Jan 2023 – Student displayed a “violent” mood after slamming a phone.
- Jan 6, 2023 – Student wore a jacket, carried a gun; shooting wounded Zwerner, who spent two weeks in hospital and had six surgeries.
- Nov 2023 – Civil jury awarded Zwerner $10 million; Parker is the sole defendant.
Official Statements & Responses
Special prosecutor Josh Jenkins said Parker “did not search the child, call police, or remove the child from the classroom,” violating policy. Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued staff “had the authority to move those classmates.” Parker’s lawyer said she “did not have a legal duty to protect Miss Zwerner.”
Criticism & Opposition
Defense attorney Curtis Rogers criticized Parker’s inaction, asserting that staff with authority failed to intervene despite multiple warnings.
On-the-Ground Reports
Teacher Zwerner testified the student wore a jacket with his hands in his pockets, appeared “violent,” and that a reading specialist received a text about his behavior after a student reported seeing the gun on the playground.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the mother’s sentence—one cites “nearly four years,” another “two years” with a 21-month federal term. The exact timing of the security officer’s absence and whether other staff knew of the gun remain unclear.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Does she say 'search the child'? No,” — Josh Jenkins, special prosecutor
- “Each one of those individuals had the authority to move those classmates.” — Curtis Rogers, defense attorney
- “Warning after warning after warning, she did nothing.” — Josh Jenkins
- “did not have a legal duty to protect Miss Zwerner,” — Parker’s lawyer
What’s Next
The three-day trial will determine whether Parker faces up to 40 years in prison. A conviction could affect the $10 million civil award, potentially relieving VRSA of payment obligations. The case also raises questions about enforcement of school crisis protocols in Virginia.
