Virginia Assistant Principal Neglect Trial Opens As Teacher Shot By 6-Year-Old Testifies
On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the trial opened in Newport News for former assistant principal Ebony Parker, accused of ignoring warnings before a 6-year-old shot a teacher; she faces eight felony child-neglect counts.[1]
Special prosecutor Josh Jenkins told jurors Parker "did nothing" after staff repeatedly warned that the boy likely had a gun in his backpack.[2] Former teacher Abby Zwerner testified the 6-year-old shot her at a classroom reading table and described prior violent or defiant signs, including smashing her phone and staring intensely.[3] Zwerner said she spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, had six surgeries, lacks full use of her left hand and still has a bullet lodged in her chest.[2] Prosecutors say the eight neglect counts correspond to each bullet and that each carries up to five years in prison.[4]
On January 6, 2023, the student opened fire inside a Richneck Elementary classroom, wounding Zwerner.[3] Prosecutors say multiple staff warned Parker the child likely had a gun and that a counselor asked to search him but was denied.[2] They say the principal was not informed and Parker stayed at her desk without searching the child, removing him from class or calling police.[2]
Early coverage emphasized the prosecution's account that Parker ignored warnings and focused on her conduct before the shooting.[4] Later reports by mainstream outlets broadened the frame to include defense claims that classroom staff also had authority to separate the boy and that systemic failures, not just Parker, explain what happened.[2]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, special prosecutor Josh Jenkins told jurors that assistant principal Ebony Parker “did nothing” after repeated staff warnings that a 6‑year‑old student likely had a gun in his backpack; Jenkins delivered those opening statements to begin the trial Josh Jenkins.
- Ebony Parker faces eight felony child‑neglect counts — one count for each bullet in the student’s gun — and prosecutors note each count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison eight felony child-neglect counts.
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, former Richneck Elementary teacher Abby Zwerner testified that a 6‑year‑old student shot her at a classroom reading table and that the boy had shown prior violent or defiant signs (including smashing her phone days earlier and wearing an oversized jacket with his hands in his pockets during recess) Abby Zwerner.
- Zwerner told jurors she spent nearly two weeks hospitalized, has undergone six surgeries, lacks full use of her left hand and still has the bullet lodged in her chest after it narrowly missed her heart Abby Zwerner.
- Prosecutors say multiple school staff warned Parker the child likely had a gun, that a school counselor asked to search the student and was denied, the principal was not informed, and Parker remained at her desk without searching the child, removing him from class or calling police assistant principal Ebony Parker.
- Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued that classroom staff who directly interacted with the child also had authority to separate him from classmates and therefore the prosecution must prove Parker acted with reckless disregard for human life; Parker’s defense has said the shooting was “unforeseeable” and she is being unfairly blamed Curtis Rogers.
- In a separate civil case, a November 2025 civil jury awarded Abby Zwerner $10 million after finding school officials (including Parker, according to the lawsuit) had dismissed warnings the student might have a gun civil jury.
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
May 20, 2026
11:56 AM
Assistant principal "did nothing" when told about 6-year-old with gun, prosecutor says
New information:
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, special prosecutor Josh Jenkins told jurors in opening statements that assistant principal Ebony Parker "did nothing" despite repeated staff warnings that a 6-year-old student likely had a gun in his backpack before the January 6, 2023 shooting at Richneck Elementary School.
- Jenkins said Parker remained seated at her desk, did not search the child, did not call police, did not remove the student from class, and did not inform the principal, even after a school counselor requested permission to search the boy and was denied.
- The article reports that school policy required crisis situations to be reported to an administrator who must take action, and Jenkins argued that Parker was the only person that day with both the authority and the necessary knowledge to address the threat.
- Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued that classroom staff who believed there was a gun also had authority to move or separate students and failed to do so, and he suggested the prosecution must show Parker acted with reckless disregard for human life.
- Abby Zwerner testified on May 19 that the student had smashed her phone days earlier, seemed "violent" on the day of the shooting, kept his hands in the pockets of an oversized jacket during recess, and continued wearing the jacket in class before shooting her at a reading table.
- Zwerner told the jury she spent nearly two weeks hospitalized, has undergone six surgeries, lacks full use of her left hand, and still has the bullet lodged in her chest after it narrowly missed her heart.
- The article reiterates that Parker faces eight felony child-neglect counts, one for each bullet in the student's gun, with each count carrying a potential five-year prison sentence and notes that criminal charges against school officials after school shootings are considered rare.
May 19, 2026
10:06 PM
Virginia teacher shot by 6-year-old says boy showed ‘violent’ warning signs – assistant principal now on trial
New information:
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, former Richneck Elementary teacher Abigail Zwerner testified in Newport News about the January 6, 2023 classroom shooting in which her 6-year-old student shot her.
- Zwerner described specific pre-shooting behavior by the student, including grabbing and smashing her cellphone during reading-group time earlier that week and appearing "very defiant" with what she called a "challenging face."
- She testified that on the day of the shooting, January 6, 2023, the student seemed "off already that day" and "violent," stared intensely at her and a security officer at lunch, and later stayed outside at recess wearing an oversized jacket with both hands in his pockets.
- Prosecutors used Zwerner's testimony to probe what concerns she relayed to school administrators, including assistant principal Ebony Parker, focusing on what officials knew before the shooting.
- Defense lawyers repeatedly objected on hearsay grounds as prosecutors sought to introduce testimony about reports that the student might have had a gun; the judge allowed much of it, ruling the statements could be used to show what officials were told rather than to prove the child had a firearm.
- The article reiterates that Parker has pleaded not guilty to eight felony child neglect charges tied to the shooting.
9:56 PM
School official did nothing after being told about a 6-year-old student with a gun, prosecutor says
New information:
- On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, special prosecutor Josh Jenkins delivered opening statements in Ebony Parker's trial, alleging she ignored repeated warnings that a 6-year-old student had a gun.
- Jenkins told jurors that multiple staff members informed Parker the child likely had a gun in his backpack and that Parker neither searched the child, called police, nor left her desk, despite school policy requiring administrators to act in crisis situations.
- A school counselor allegedly sought permission to search the student but was denied by Parker, and the school's principal was never informed of the threat, according to Jenkins.
- Defense attorney Curtis Rogers argued that teachers and other staff who directly interacted with the child should have separated him from roughly 19 classmates if they believed a gun was present, and claimed the prosecution must show Parker acted with reckless disregard for human life.
- Abby Zwerner testified that days before the January 2023 shooting the student smashed her phone, that on the day of the shooting he remained in an oversized jacket with hands in his pockets during recess, and that she texted a reading specialist about his behavior before he shot her at a classroom reading table.
- Zwerner told jurors she spent nearly two weeks in the hospital, has undergone six surgeries, lacks full use of her left hand, and still has the bullet lodged in her chest after it narrowly missed her heart.
- Jenkins said Parker was the only person in the school that day who both knew of the ongoing crisis and had authority to act, and that she failed to inform the principal while the school's security officer was off campus.
- The article reiterates that the eight felony child neglect counts correspond to each bullet in the gun and that each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
5:52 AM
Former Virginia assistant principal on trial after allegedly ignoring warnings before 6-year-old shot teacher
New information:
- The Fox article reiterates that prosecutors brought one felony child neglect count for each of the eight bullets loaded in the student's gun, with a maximum of five years in prison per count.
- It restates that a civil jury in November 2025 awarded Abby Zwerner $10 million in her lawsuit against Ebony Parker, alleging Parker dismissed warnings the student might have a gun.
- The article notes that prosecutors allege multiple school employees warned Parker the 6-year-old might have a gun but that she did not act before the January 6, 2023 shooting.
- The piece quotes Parker's defense position that she is being unfairly blamed for broader systemic failures and that her attorneys previously argued the shooting was 'unforeseeable.'