A former Virginia schoolteacher, Abigail Zwerner, who was shot by a 6-year-old student two years ago, has been awarded $10 million in damages by a jury. The incident, which occurred in January 2023 at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, left Zwerner seriously wounded, requiring multiple surgeries. During her trial, Zwerner testified, ‘I thought I had died,’ highlighting the traumatic experience she endured. Zwerner filed a $40 million lawsuit against the school’s former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, alleging that Parker failed to act despite being warned that the child might have brought a gun to school. The jury found Parker’s inaction to be gross negligence. The court heard that Parker had been informed about the gun approximately 45 minutes before the shooting. Additionally, Zwerner had reportedly warned Parker about the child’s violent mood and threats against another student, to which Parker allegedly responded indifferently. Parker’s defense argued that she could not have foreseen the incident and that Zwerner exaggerated her injuries. Following the civil trial, Parker faces eight counts of felony child neglect, each punishable by up to five years in prison. The student’s mother was sentenced to nearly four years for child neglect and federal weapons charges. The student, who was not charged, is now in the care of a relative and attending a different school. This case underscores the ongoing issue of gun violence in the United States and the critical need for effective school safety measures.