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Teacher Testifies in Court She Thought She Was Dying After Being Shot by 6-Year-Old Student
Two years after she was shot by a 6-year-old student, former Virginia teacher Abigail Zwerner told civil jurors that she thought she was close to dying or even dead during the incident.
While appearing in court on Thursday, October 30, Zwerner recalled being shot by the young boy and having severe injuries at Richneck Elementary in Newport News, Virginia, on January 6, 2023,
“I thought I was dying, I thought I had died,” she told the jury, according to NBC News. “I thought I was on my way to heaven or in heaven. But then it all got black.”
Zwerner gave the testimony amid her $40 million lawsuit against former Richneck Elementary assistant principal Ebony Parker, who allegedly ignored many warnings about the boy who eventually shot Zwerner.
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In the civil complaint, Zwerner claimed the attack was totally preventable if Parker had acted on clear signs the boy was dangerous.
When the boy shot at Zwerner, the bullet tore through her hand before it struck her in the chest. The bullet is still in her chest today, and a doctor testified earlier in the trial that it would be more dangerous to remove it than leave it alone.
Zwerner said she struggles with simple physical tasks following the shooting, and she recalled difficulty she experienced when trying to open a bag of potato chips during lunch with her lawyer. “And I eventually asked you to open it, the same thing with water bottles,” Zwerner told her attorney.
Not only did the shooting leave Zwerner with physical struggles, but she also said she’s been heavily impacted emotionally. One example she shared was that she broke down the morning before she was supposed to see the Hamilton movie when she realized there would be dueling scenes.
“I felt like everything just came over my body,” she said of the experience. “I remember crying a lot, and I remember that afterwards.”
Also during the trial, a Richneck teacher testified that she told Parker about the weapon three times after students tipped her off that he had a gun in his backpack, per NBC News. Additionally, another teacher testified she shared similar information with the assistant principal after a different student told her the boy had a gun.
Under cross-examination, Parker’s attorney implied that Zwerner could have taken more decisive action against the young student, according to the outlet.
Zwerner responded that another teacher was planning to report the student to Parker, which made her feel safe. “I didn’t (take any other action), honestly didn’t think twice,” she said. “It was my understanding that the administration wouldn’t think twice as well when alerted about a potential gun in school.”
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Additionally, NBC News reported that the defense argued Zwerner wasn’t as physically injured as she claimed, pointing out that she went to cosmetology school and hopes to pursue a new career in beauty.
A verdict has not yet been reached in the case.
According to NBC News, any civil verdict against Parker would be paid by the Virginia Risk Sharing Association (VRSA). The association is an insurance pool made up of many public bodies statewide, including the school board.
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