A former teacher from Virginia, Abby Zwerner, recently testified regarding the traumatic incident in which she was shot by a 6-year-old student in her classroom. During her testimony on Thursday, Zwerner recounted the moment of the shooting and expressed that she believed she had died that day. Her testimony was part of a $40 million lawsuit against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, accused of neglecting warnings about the student potentially having access to a gun.

The shooting took place in January 2023 at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. Zwerner was shot in both the hand and chest while seated at a reading table in her first-grade classroom. Following the incident, she spent nearly two weeks hospitalized, underwent six surgeries, and is left with limited use of her left hand, as well as a bullet lodged in her chest.

Zwerner recounted the harrowing experience, stating, “I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven. But then it all got black. And so, I then thought I wasn’t going there. And then my next memory is I see two co-workers around me and I process that I’m hurt and they’re putting pressure on where I’m hurt.” This traumatic event sent shock waves through both the military shipbuilding community and the nation, prompting widespread concern over how such a young child could access a firearm and shoot a teacher.

As a result of the shooting, Zwerner has left her teaching position and has no intention of returning to the profession. In court, it was revealed that she has since become a licensed cosmetologist, branching out into a new career path. The focus of the lawsuit is on Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal, who is accused of failing to act despite multiple reports concerning the child’s possession of a firearm just hours before the incident. Parker is the sole defendant in the case, as the judge previously dismissed claims against the district superintendent and the school principal.

Parker is currently facing a separate criminal trial scheduled for next month on eight counts of felony child neglect. Each count could lead to a maximum of five years in prison if she is convicted. This adds another layer of complexity to an already tragic scenario that has drawn attention to issues surrounding gun control and school safety.

The student involved in the shooting also faced dire consequences, as his mother was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for felony child neglect and federal weapons charges. It was reported that her son had obtained her handgun by climbing onto a drawer to reach the firearm, which was stored in her purse at the top of a dresser. This incident not only highlights the tragic impact on Zwerner’s life but raises broader questions about firearm accessibility and responsibilities surrounding gun ownership in households with children.

The legal proceedings continue to develop, with significant implications for all parties involved and a growing emphasis on the need for preventive measures in educational environments to protect both students and staff.