Ebony Parker, a former assistant principal at a Virginia elementary school, is facing criminal charges in connection with a shooting incident that occurred at Richneck Elementary School on January 6, 2023. A special grand jury in Newport News found that Parker showed “reckless disregard” for the well-being of the students at the school. The charging document alleges that Parker committed a willful act or omission in the care of the students, demonstrating a gross and culpable disregard for human life. Parker, 39, is charged with eight felony counts, each punishable by up to five years in prison.
Parker and other school administrators are already defendants in a $40 million lawsuit brought by the teacher who was shot, Abigail Zwerner. The lawsuit claims that Richneck officials ignored warning signs ahead of the shooting and that other staffers had informed Parker that the boy might be carrying a gun on the day of the incident. Newport News police stated that the student retrieved his mother’s handgun from home and brought it to school concealed in a backpack. Zwerner’s lawsuit details a series of warnings from school employees to administrators before the shooting, including reports that the boy had been in a violent mood and had been seen with a gun at recess.
The shooting occurred in Zwerner’s classroom, where the boy shot her while she was sitting at a reading table. The gunshot passed through Zwerner’s hand and chest, resulting in multiple injuries that required surgery and hospitalization. Zwerner has described the traumatic experience as life-changing and continues to suffer from ongoing emotional trauma. The defendants in the lawsuit, including a former superintendent and the Newport News school board, have attempted to block the case by arguing that Zwerner’s injuries are covered by worker compensation laws in Virginia. However, these attempts have been unsuccessful, and a trial date is scheduled for January.
The mother of the boy who shot Zwerner, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison for felony neglect and federal weapons charges. Zwerner has expressed her feelings of fear and trauma following the incident, noting that she will never forget the look on the boy’s face when he pointed the gun directly at her. The criminal charges against Ebony Parker highlight the failures in the school’s leadership and the disregard for the safety of students and staff. The case continues to raise questions about the responsibility of school officials in ensuring a safe environment for everyone on school grounds.
Despite the attempts to dismiss the lawsuit by claiming worker compensation coverage, the lawsuit filed by Abigail Zwerner against the school officials involved in the incident is moving forward. The trial is set for January, and Zwerner’s legal team continues to press for accountability and justice for the events that occurred. The shooting has had a lasting impact on Zwerner’s life, both physically and emotionally, as she continues to recover from her injuries and grapple with the trauma of the incident. The criminal charges against Ebony Parker serve as a reminder of the consequences of negligence and reckless disregard for the well-being of students and staff in school settings. The incident at Richneck Elementary School has sparked discussions about safety measures and protocols that need to be in place to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
