A Virginia elementary school teacher shot by her 6-year-old student recounted her terrifying near-death experience in court this week, as newly released police body-camera footage captured the chaos following the 2023 classroom attack.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Abby Zwerner, then 25, told jurors that in the moments after the 9-millimeter handgun fired, she “thought she was dead.” The bullet passed through her hand and remains lodged in her chest, having narrowly missed her heart.
“The last thing I remember at the school, I thought I was dying. I thought I had died,” Zwerner testified. “Then it all went black.”
The Lawsuit: Warnings Allegedly Ignored
Zwerner has filed a $40 million lawsuit against former school administrator Ebony Parker, alleging gross negligence. The suit claims Parker failed to act on multiple warnings that the child had brought a gun to school that day. Several colleagues—including the guidance counselor, music teacher, and reading specialist—had reportedly raised alarms before the shooting occurred.
The school district’s attorneys argue the shooting was an unforeseeable act by a child too young to anticipate, contending that staff followed reasonable procedures.
Lasting Scars
The former first-grade teacher described the moment she looked the boy in the eye just before the gun went off, noting it was a “blank look… But it wasn’t a blank look at all.”
Nearly two years later, Zwerner struggles with daily life. She cited difficulty with simple physical tasks, like opening a water bottle or a bag of chips. The psychological toll is just as severe; she described breaking down after realizing a plan to see the musical Hamilton because it features scenes of dueling.
Since the shooting, Zwerner has left teaching, graduated from cosmetology school, and plans to pursue a career in beauty.
Legal Fallout Continues
The court reviewed bodycam footage showing officers and paramedics rushing to save Zwerner’s life at the scene. An officer called for medics as Zwerner struggled to breathe, and a paramedic assured the pale, pained educator, “You’re going to be okay.”
- Administrator’s Criminal Trial: Ebony Parker faces a separate criminal trial next month on eight counts of felony child neglect.
- Mother’s Sentencing: The mother of the boy, Deja Taylor, was sentenced to two years in prison for felony neglect and federal weapons charges.
