Virginia Judge Dismisses 8 Felony Counts Against Ebony Parker in 2023 Richneck School Shooting
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 21
Virginia Judge Dismisses 8 Felony Counts Against Ebony Parker in 2023 Richneck School Shooting
16 articles · Updated · CNN · May 21
Eight felony child-abuse counts against former assistant principal Ebony Parker were dismissed with prejudice after Judge Rebecca Robinson ruled prosecutors had not established a crime under Virginia law.
Robinson said the legal theory was unclear, questioning whether the charges were tied to the gun’s unfired bullets, the children in class, their trauma afterward or Parker’s prior knowledge of the boy’s behavior.
Prosecutors had argued Parker ignored warnings that a 6-year-old had a gun before he shot teacher Abby Zwerner on Jan. 6, 2023; defense lawyers countered that other staff, including Zwerner, also failed to act.
The ruling sharply diverges from the civil case: a jury awarded Zwerner $10 million last November over the same episode, and Parker is appealing that judgment.
The case had tested how far criminal liability can extend when a juvenile carries out a school shooting; the boy was not charged, while his mother served prison time on child-neglect and gun offenses.
With 'no precedent' cited in a school shooting case, will Virginia now redefine the legal duties of its school administrators?
If administrators can't be criminally charged for ignoring gun warnings, who is ultimately responsible for keeping schools safe?
A $10 million civil penalty but no criminal conviction: where does the law draw the line on school official accountability?
On May 21, 2026, a Virginia judge dismissed all criminal charges against former assistant principal Ebony Parker, ruling that her alleged failure to act on warnings about a 6-year-old bringing a gun to school did not constitute a crime. This decision followed the defense's argument that the prosecution had not made its case. The dismissal immediately impacted the ongoing civil case, as Abby Zwerner’s legal team noted it removed a key argument used by the City of Newport News regarding insurance coverage. While Parker is no longer facing criminal charges, the civil battle over accountability and compensation continues.