Abby Zwerner, the first-grade teacher who was shot by her six-year-old student, described her horrific near-death experience. She testified about the incident while giving civil deposition testimony. In a tragic example, on January 6, 2023, a six-year-old boy shot his teacher at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. This horrific incident shifted the course of her life for good. Zwerner was sitting at a reading table when she was shot by the 6-year-old in the hand and chest. She describes that moment as surreal and terrifying.
The only difference now was that the student had returned to school from a suspension. On that very first day back, a shooting occurred. Several alarms had been raised at least 3 hours prior to the shooting, suggesting he had taken a gun to school. Zwerner’s testimony painted a picture of the gross negligence inexplicably surrounding the events leading up to the shooting.
After she was shot, Zwerner had to go through six surgeries as medical professionals tried to save her life. A bullet that came within an eighth of an inch from puncturing her heart is still lodged in her chest. The impact on the physical world has been devastating. She has since lost the complete use of her left hand, which has prevented her from working towards her dream of working in the cosmetology field.
Zwerner’s emotional wellbeing after the shooting has been deeply impacted. As she recounted her harrowing ordeal, she described the sense of approaching death that surrounded her throughout the terrible encounter.
“I thought I was dying. 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.” – Abby Zwerner
Her memory of the seconds before she was shot is still crystal clear. The moment Zwerner recalled it as brief but powerful, with the image of the focused student’s face remaining forever etched in her mind.
“The moment went by very fast … The look on the student’s face is the large memory that I have.” – Abby Zwerner
While her traumatic path to healing continues, Zwerner has clearly chosen not to go back into the classroom. She is currently suing Ebony Parker, former assistant principal of Richneck Elementary School. She is asking for $40 million in damages. Zwerner argues that the school administration failed to take appropriate measures despite being informed of the student bringing a weapon.
In her testimony, Zwerner candidly spoke about her struggles with daily activities since the incident:
“Overall, I would say I do struggle with things, doing things.” – Abby Zwerner
Zwerner’s case has elevated her individual pain. It further begs ominous questions about the state of safety-planning measures in our schools, and the duty of care that our nation’s education system owes to its employees and pupils. As she navigates her recovery and legal proceedings, her story serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive measures to prevent similar tragedies in schools across the nation.