The assistant principal of the Virginia school where a 6-year-old boy shot his first grade teacher has been charged with eight counts of felony child abuse and disregard for life, according to an indictment unsealed on Tuesday.
Ebony Parker, who worked for Richneck Elementary School on Jan. 6, 2023, when Abigail Zwerner was shot by her student, was indicted on March 11.
In the lawsuit, Zwerner claimed Parker received multiple warnings of the boy’s violent behavior, but failed to take action to prevent the shooting.
“Assistant Principal Parker should have called police, instead she did not follow proper protocol and chose to do absolutely nothing,” the claim says.
Less than an hour later, another teacher told Parker that other students reported that the boy had a gun in his backpack, the claim alleges.
Another teacher informed Parker of reports that the boy had the gun in his pocket, according to the claim.
“Assistant Principal Parker was made aware at the beginning of recess that Ms. Zwerner was afraid that the shooter had a gun in his pocket,” Zwerner’s attorney wrote.
Zwerner was shot in the hands and chest, and was hospitalized for almost two weeks after the shooting.
According to an unsealed indictment on Tuesday, the assistant principal of the Virginia school where a 6-year-old boy shot his first-grade teacher faces eight counts of felony child abuse and disregard for life.
Ebony Parker was employed by Richneck Elementary School on January. On March 11, 2023, the day Abigail Zwerner was shot by her student, she was charged. However, according to the Virginia courts website, the charges were not made public until Tuesday. Parker is not under arrest just yet.
The Virginian-Pilot was able to obtain a copy of the indictment, which states that Parker committed “a willful act or omission in the care of such students” that was “so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life” and that he should be held on $4,000 bond.
The maximum sentence for each of the class 6 felonies is five years in prison.
Further: The Michigan shooter’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, received a 10-to 15-year prison sentence.
Parker allegedly disregarded warnings before the shooting, according to a teacher’s lawsuit.
In April 2023, Zwerner sued school administrators, requesting $40 million in damages. Zwerner claimed in the lawsuit that Parker was warned repeatedly about the boy’s violent behavior but did nothing to stop the shooting.
Her attorney, Zwerner, claimed in a notice of claim that she went to Parker’s office just before the shooting to report that the boy “seemed more ‘off’ than usual and was in a violent mood.”. He’d already threatened to beat up another child, she said, and “angrily stared down a security officer.”. “.”.
The allegation is that Assistant Principal Parker should have called the police, but instead she disregarded protocol and did nothing at all.
Parker was informed by another teacher less than an hour later that other students had claimed to have seen the boy with a gun in his backpack. Parker was told by another teacher that there were rumors the boy was carrying a gun in his pocket.
Zwerner’s attorney wrote, “Assistant Principal Parker was informed at the start of recess that Ms. Zwerner was afraid that the shooter had a gun in his pocket.”. Furthermore, nothing was done. “.
Zwerner spent nearly two weeks in the hospital following the shooting after receiving gunshot wounds to his hands and chest. June 20, 2023, was her last day of employment at the school.
After the shooting, Parker submitted her resignation. John Mumford Jr. , the lawyer who was listed for her, did not respond to a message seeking comment right away.
For USA Today, Cybele Mayes-Osterman covers breaking news. You can email her at cmayesosterman@usatoday.com. Adhere to her on X @CybeleMO.
