Assistant principal "did nothing" when told about 6-year-old with gun, prosecutor says

Key Points:

• The assistant principal of Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, Ebony Parker, faces eight felony child neglect charges for allegedly ignoring repeated warnings about a 6-year-old student carrying a gun before he shot a teacher in January 2023.
• Prosecutors allege Parker dismissed concerns from staff, failed to search the child, call police, or remove him from the classroom, despite having the authority and knowledge of the threat; the school's principal was unaware due to Parker's lack of communication.
• The shooting severely injured first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, who required six surgeries and suffers lasting impairments; Zwerner testified about the student's violent behavior and suspicious conduct before the incident.
• Parker's defense argued other staff had the authority to intervene and questioned why no one else acted sooner, placing some blame on the teacher and others who observed the child prior to the shooting.
• The student's mother was sentenced to nearly four years for felony child neglect and federal weapons charges, and a civil jury awarded Zwerner $10 million in damages, with Parker as the sole defendant.