Criminal charges against a former assistant principal at a US elementary school, where a six-year-old pupil shot his teacher, have been dismissed. Ebony Parker, formerly of Richneck Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia, had faced felony child neglect charges following the incident in January 2023.
The decision to dismiss the charges came after a grand jury refused to issue an indictment against Ms Parker. Prosecutors had alleged that Parker was aware of multiple warnings that the six-year-old student possessed a gun and was threatening people on the day of the shooting, yet failed to act.
The teacher, Abigail Zwerner, sustained significant injuries after being shot in the hand and chest by the child and required multiple surgeries. She has since filed a GBP 39.5 million lawsuit against the school board and former administrators, including Ms Parker, alleging gross negligence and that school officials ignored numerous warnings about the boy's behaviour and the potential danger he posed.
Lawyers for Ms Parker maintained her innocence throughout the process, arguing that she was being made a scapegoat for systemic failures. Her attorney stated that the grand jury's decision to not indict was a proper outcome, asserting that Ms Parker did not commit any crime.
The shooting prompted widespread shock and raised serious questions about school safety protocols and the handling of troubled students. The six-year-old boy's mother has also faced charges related to the incident, including felony child neglect, and has pleaded guilty to some federal charges for drug use while possessing firearms. She received a two-year prison sentence in a federal case and is awaiting sentencing in a state case.
This development marks a significant turn in the legal fallout from the unprecedented event. While the criminal case against Ms Parker is closed, the civil lawsuit filed by Ms Zwerner is expected to continue, potentially bringing further scrutiny to the actions of school administrators leading up to the shooting.