Teacher shot by 6-year-old student files $40M lawsuit


The Newport News, Virginia, teacher who was shot by her six-year-old student earlier this year sued her school district for $40 million on Monday, alleging that school officials ignored numerous warnings that the student had a gun.
Abigail Zwerner, 25, was shot in the hand and chest by the student at Richneck Elementary School with a 9mm handgun on Jan. 6, as she sat reading to her class. Zwerner spent almost two weeks in the hospital and underwent four surgeries, and continues her long road to recovery.
The incident shocked the community of Newport News and made nationwide headlines, with many wondering how a first-grade child could obtain a gun and bring it to school. In the lawsuit, which was first reported by NBC News, Zwerner's attorneys argued that the school failed in its "assumed duty" to protect the teacher, despite "multiple reports that a firearm was on school property and likely in possession of a violent individual."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Defendants in the lawsuit include the Newport News School Board, former Superintendent George Parker III, former Richneck principal Briana Foster Newton, and former Richneck assistant principal Ebony Parker, The Associated Press reported. All three named defendants have either been fired or re-assigned to other schools in the aftermath of the shooting.
The lawsuit said Zwerner suffers "physical pain and mental anguish," as a result of the incident.
Zwerner's attorneys, Diane Toscano and Jeffrey Breit, appeared on the TODAY Show following news of the lawsuit, and lambasted the alleged misdeeds by the school. "We know for a fact that there were at least three opportunities for [the school] to stop this from happening," Breit said. "Right now, the allegations are...you have a ticking time bomb in the school, and the school failed to do anything about it."
The Newport News School Board has not issued any response to the lawsuit.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
The best shows to see at Edinburgh Fringe 2025
The Week Recommends The world's biggest arts festival is back with an incredible line-up
-
Wonsan-Kalma: North Korea's new 'mammoth' beach resort
Under the Radar Pyongyang wants to boost tourism but there won't be many foreign visitors to Kim Jong Un's 'pet project'
-
The 5 best TV reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Finding an entirely new cast to play beloved characters is harder than it looks
-
Australian woman found guilty of mushroom murders
speed read Erin Patterson murdered three of her ex-husband's relatives by serving them toxic death cap mushrooms
-
Combs convicted on 2 of 5 charges, denied bail
Speed Read Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking
-
Sniper kills 2 Idaho firefighters in ambush
Speed Read A man started a wildfire, then fired a rifle at first responders when they arrived
-
Weinstein convicted of sex crime in retrial
Speed Read The New York jury delivered a mixed and partial verdict at the disgraced Hollywood producer's retrial
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside home
speed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confession
speed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder
speed read Eight people from the Jewish group were hospitalized after a man threw Molotov cocktails in a 'targeted act of violence'
-
Driver rams van into crowd at Liverpool FC parade
speed read 27 people were hospitalized following the attack