NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – Monday, Jan. 6 marks two years since first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner was shot by a 6-year-old student at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News.
The incident at the time sparked national conversation about security at schools, and two years later, the criminal and civil sides of the case remain ongoing.
Just last month, in early December, a judge ruled that the former assistant principal at the school, Dr. Ebony Parker, can be requestioned as part of the $40 million civil suit surrounding the 2023 shooting. 10 On Your Side has been told the criminal trial against Parker will happen before the civil trial, which is against the school system.
Throughout the process, Zwerner’s legal team has expressed frustration over how long the court process is taking, but they said they plan to continue to pursue it with the same vigor.
The One In Five Foundation for Kids, a national nonprofit organization formed after the May 2022 mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, announced on Monday they are preparing an “official address and petition to the court,” as part of their continued support of Zwerner.
Parker’s criminal trial is set to take place in February of 2025, and the civil trial is expected to take place in October of 2025.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.